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.