subject: What Exactly Is An Aed Defibrillator? [print this page] Defibrillators, have you ever seen one of those? You probably have, at least in the movies or in TV, probably while watching Greys Anatomy, or for the older generation, Chicago Hope or ER. It is that device which restarts the heart of the patient after it stops, or in medical terms, cardiac arrest. It literally brings people back to life, well, at least those who are dying.
In the past few years people have become more aware of the increasing risks of heart disease. But of course, awareness alone will not cut it. Just because a person knows he has it does not mean he can avoid having a heart attack. Certain measures can be taken of course, to decrease the risks. But what if it happens in a situation where we absolutely have no control of? In a place where there is no medical staff nearby or a defibrillator to be found, or a hospital, say outdoors? You cant possibly bring that big piece of equipment with you all the time? I mean have you ever seen anyone actually with a defibrillator in the trunk of their car while on vacation? Probably not, I mean those things are huge. It will a quite a chore to carry them around, thus the invention of the AED.
What is it exactly? AED stands for automated external defibrillator, sometimes also referred to simply as automated defibrillator. It basically does what ordinary defibrillators do. The great thing about it is its portable. An AED is about the size of a briefcase, in fact some are smaller, like laptop bags. Certainly a lot handier than the ones we see on operating and emergency rooms. They are not too heavy and can pretty much be administered by almost anybody. It is recommended that a user is familiar with the equipment and has had training, or at least even an orientation, though this is not always necessary as portable AEDs give instructions either through a visual display and/or voice prompts.
An AED stabilizes a patients heartbeat by delivering electrical currents to a persons body. These impulses tend to correct the irregular heartbeat. After these electrodes are administered, the AED begins to assess the patient, if shock has to be given, it will instruct the user to do so. Its really not that hard, that is why these defibrillators are now found in some public areas. These are mostly areas where a lot of people tend to gather together. This is a very critical development in the strategic placing of these automated defibrillators as about half of cardiac arrests occur in public places, making it even more for EMTs and ambulances to arrive.
Although these portable AEDs can be internal (via implant), these external portable AEDs are more commonly used. They exhibit reliability and portability. It is no longer a rare occurrence to visit the house of people with heart conditions and find a home AED. Family members can provide the initial necessary life saving methods while waiting for an ambulance, giving people with heart conditions the feeling of security and stability. The more common ones are the Zoll AED and the lifeline AED by Defibtech. Unlike before, you no longer need a prescription to buy AEDs. They are admittedly costly for the average Joe, but for people with heart ailments its really worth it.
Cardiac treatment should not be delayed at any cost. Every minute that expires decreases a patients chance for survival. It can lead to severe brain damage, and are fatal. Automatic external defibrillators can easily save peoples lives, in has been said that using and AED can increase a patients survival exponentially. So if you have anyone in the family with a heart condition, it is recommended that you have an AED at home. Its easy to use, can save peoples lives, not a bad device to invest in.
