Defibrillators - An Overview

How do defibrillators work?

A defibrillator is a medical device used to correct irregular heart beat patterns, otherwise known as cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac arrhythmias are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart, characterized by irregular contractions. Many arrhythmias are often common and benign, most often described as feeling your heart skip a beat. Other arrhythmias, however, can interrupt the normal flow of blood, causing vital organs such as the brain to lose oxygen and suffocate. If left untreated, these arrhythmias can be deadly in very short periods of time. Defibrillators are most commonly used to treat two very dangerous types of arrhythmias: ventricular fibrillation, or 'V-fiB,' and ventricular tachycardia, or 'V-tach.'

Today, defibrillators can be portable units placed in ambulances, automated units placed in a public area, or even an implantable unit placed directly into a patient's body. No matter the style of defibrillator, the treatment remains the same. Applying a quick, high-voltage, direct-current charge to the patient's chest, allows a defibrillator to disrupt abnormal rhythms and prompt the heart to resume its normal rhythm. Despite the power of the shock that a defibrillator supplies, technological advances have created lower-energy shocks which are much less likely to cause internal damage and burns.

What are the risks associated with using a defibrillator?

Although defibrillators can save lives, defectively designed defibrillators can cause a great deal of damage and even lead to death. Studies show that defective Sprint Fidelis leads in Medtronic's implantable defibrillator are prone to fracture, causing the units to release powerful shocks at random. These shocks may cause intense pain, anxiety, and even death for people with implanted units.

If you or a loved one has been implanted with a Medtronic defibrillator with Sprint Fidelis leads, contact an attorney immediately to discuss your legal options. A skilled attorney will be able to evaluate your case and provide you with the legal assistance you need to navigate the complex litigation process. The outcomes of using a defective Medtronic defibrillator may cause you to struggle financially, emotionally, and physically. There is no reason to face the hardships associated with defective products when your situation was caused by a poorly manufactured or defective product. Manufacturers are often found liable for injuries caused by their products and an experienced attorney will be able to help you organize the most effective lawsuit possible.

The Different Types of Defibrillator

When you are having some kind of cardiac arrest, there are things that a doctor or paramedic can do to help the situation and try to save your life. When you are with someone whose heart has stopped, you want to do whatever is in your power to take care of them and the situation by making sure that their heart starts pumping again.

Defibrillators are products that are manufactured by certain companies to help shock the heart enough to make the heart start pumping again. There are quite a few different types of Defibrillators that have been made over the years that are used for many different things. The first type is what is called a Manual external defibrillator. This MED is usually used by a paramedic or physician in an emergency situation where the person needs a shock to the heart in order to get the heart of the person to start pumping blood again. This MED has a monitor as well as paddles that the doctor or paramedic can use. While using this MED, the physician will choose the exact amount of joults that the person needs to receive based on what type of situation their body and heart are in.

The next type of defibrillator is what is called the AED or the Automated External Defibrillator. These are the newest types of defibrillators that have a computer system inside the monitor and it recognizes the rhythm of the heart and sends some types of electric shocks based on what the heart is supposed to be beating at. This is the most highly advanced external defibrillator that they have out on the market right now. This is supposed to be able to regulate how much the heart is beating compared with how much it should be beating and help the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body faster. In an emergency, this AED is used anytime that someone goes into cardiac arrest. If their heart stops beating, the paramedic will use some sort of an AED which will analyze the person's lack of heart beat and will give the person a shock to help their heart to continue to pump blood to both the body and the brain. If the brain begins to shut down, then the hope of getting the person back up to full capacity will begin to dwindle quickly. Understanding your situation with the defibrillator can be one of the best things that you can do to help both yourself and anyone else that may be involved.

Why Take the Advance Cardiac Life Support Class?

If you are a newly licensed health care provider you will soon discover that times have changed. No longer does simply having a license ensure that you will be able to land the desired job. Almost anyone knows that times are tough right now and there is no exception for health care professionals. Many newly licensed providers struggle to find employment simply because they are new.

If a business is trying to cut cost they will always try and employ the "most" skilled for their money. It doesn't mean that businesses want to spend the most to get the best quality. On the contrary, the objective is to spend the least while getting the most. It is just good business sense to get the biggest bang for your buck whenever possible. Care providers that have more skills and experience are always preferred over those that simply have a license.

Certification courses like Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support are becoming a standard in the health care industry and submitting your resume without such certification is kinda like showing up to an interview unshaven or in shorts and slippers. You may be qualified for the job, but are you as prepared as the competition?

Does your resume reflect a standard of excellence and continuing education above and beyond the basic requirements? Having current ACLS certification is not above and beyond the call of duty anymore. It is now part of the standard for employment for licensed professionals in many health care systems. Don't wait for a potential employer to ask for your ACLS certification. Remember, that's like showing up to your interview in slippers. Even if you are not yet employed or recently displaced due to a downsize, acquire and maintain your ACLS certification. It can be the very thing that makes a difference between being employed or collecting unemployment.

Identify it Before it Strikes You - How Correctly Diagnosing a Stroke is Essential to Recovery

The immediate and accurate diagnosis of a stroke is crucial to patient recovery. Strokes can be fatal, claiming some 250,000 people in the US alone. Over 700,000 cases are reported each year, which means more than one stroke per minute, and a mortality rate of over 30%. Clearly, a stroke is not something you should take lightly.

Identifying and acting on the warning signs of a stroke is a sure shot way to prevent it, or to help the patient recover from it. The most obvious warning signs of a stroke include sudden weakness or numbness, particularly on just one side of the body (usually the left side where the heart is located). Stroke patients usually feel dizzy or lose their sense of co-ordination becoming jerky in movement. Sudden headaches, debilitating nausea, difficulty in constructing coherent sentences or even sudden vision loss are other warning signs of an impending stroke.

The sure shot way to cut down on your stroke risks is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Even if you are genetically disposed to getting a stroke, making a few lifestyle changes can go a long way to minimizing your risks. This includes eating healthy, cutting down or giving up drinking or smoking, exercising regularly, cutting down on fat and cholesterol in your diet, and getting regular check-ups done.

There are certain factors that increase your chances of getting a stroke. These include your age (older people are more likely to suffer from a stroke), your gender (women are more likely victims than men), your racial and genetic background (African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to get a stroke than others), etc. Your doctor should help you identify any of these risk factors and work with you to minimize them.

It is important to know all the symptoms, risk factors and conditions that can lead to a stroke. Strokes are one of the biggest killers in across the world today and by educating yourself, you can do a lot to prevent its occurrence.

Speed Up Help with a Defibrillator Cabinet

A defibrillator cabinet keeps your device available for everyone and alerts others in the case of an emergency. When you have someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, you want to know exactly where your defibrillator is and be able to get to it quickly. Defibrillator cabinets keep your device safe and available.

A defibrillator cabinet is constructed of heavy gauge steel and tempered glass. It resembles a fire extinguisher case and can also be mounted on a wall for easy access. You can choose from a cabinet that is recessed into the wall or one that mounts flush with the wall.

The cabinet has an audible alarm and flashing lights when opened. This helps to deter theft and it also helps to alert others that an emergency is taking place. With the alarm, someone could be notifying 9-1-1 while another individual is bringing the defibrillator to the person in need. In places where an alarm is not needed, it can be disabled.

If your building has a central security system, you can wire the defibrillator alarm to the system. By doing so, you can immediately notify medical first responders that an emergency is taking place and that help is needed. Your alarm company or facilities staff should be able to handle the installation. They will be able to connect the alarm to an auto dialer as well if it's desired.

Defibrillator cabinets are attractive and provide the easy access that you need to the device. The glass front enables visitors and staff to immediately recognize the device and know where it is if needed. You don't want to have your staff trying to locate the defibrillator when someone is having a cardiac arrest. The sooner a defibrillator is used, the better the chances of survival are. So, it's important that the defibrillator is kept somewhere visible and accessible.

Cabinets are purchased separately from the defibrillator device, but the cost is more than made up for by the convenience. At the very least, you should purchase a carry case and wall bracket. Although these won't protect your defibrillator in the same way that a cabinet would, they do make the device accessible.

You may also want to purchase other items, including wall signs for your defibrillator. Wall signs tell people where a defibrillator is and make its location highly visible. As defibrillator cases are not as well recognized as fire extinguisher cases, this is often a good investment.

Consider purchasing a defibrillator cabinet to house your defibrillator in. The cabinet will keep your device safe and make it accessible for anyone who may need it.

Automated External Defibrillators or AED's - The Shocking Truth

Sudden Cardiac Arrest or Sudden Death is the abrupt loss of consciousness, breathing and heartbeat. It kills over 325,000 Americans a year. That's more than breast cancer, colon cancer and motor vehicle accidents combined. The media frequently uses the more well-known term, massive heart attack, to describe the cause of death when, in actuality, a heart attack is only the death of a part of the heart muscle.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is caused by a heart attack or scaring from a previous heart attack. During cardiac arrest the pacemaker cells in the heart that normally cause the heart to contract and relax in a rhythmic pattern become disorganized and chaotic. This activity is called ventricular fibrillation; the heart is not beating but fibrillates or quivers like a jello mold shaken on a plate. Many victims develop symptoms only moments before their heart stops and some experience the cardiac arrest itself as the first, last and only indication of heart disease.

Sudden Death is potentially reversible but only if the victim receives Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and is shocked with a Automated External Defibrillator (AED) within a few minutes after collapsing. Performing CPR on a victim moves blood through the body, providing oxygen to the brain and heart, which can prolong the hearts electrical activity. An AED gives a shock of electricity through the heart causing it to contract and stop its erratic fibrillation. This allows the cells in the heart to reset back into a normal beat.

Time is the critical factor and can make the difference between life and death. In just four to six minutes permanent brain damage starts to occur and within ten minutes the heart is no longer fibrillating and has degraded to a condition called astoyle, commonly known as a flatline. Although Hollywood often portrays the successful resuscitation of people with a flatline EKG, this does not happen in the real world. Once there is no electrical activity in the heart, the victim's chances of survival are almost nonexistent.

There are several models of Automated External Defibrillators available and, although they have minor differences, all of them give instructions that are designed for use by a non-medical professional. The AED will determine if the victim needs a shock and will then guide you through the rescue with verbal cues, pictures or written text. Some models even coach users through the steps of CPR. Public access defibrillators are becoming more widespread and are seen in airports, malls, casinos, health cubs, restaurants, golf courses, public parks, churches and office buildings. More and more people are getting an AED for their home, RV or boat as well.

Reversal of sudden cardiac arrest is possible with immediate notification of emergency medical services (911) and the combination of CPR and defibrillation with an AED in the first few minutes after a victim collapses.