If you would take time to look at the numbers, you would realize that almost half a million Americans succumb to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Of these figures, about 50,000 is considered to be preventable had there been an AED unit in place.
As the name implies, Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA takes place when, for no immediate and apparent reason, the heart suddenly stops beating. Because of this, the supply of blood to the brain as well as a number of major organs stop. This, in turn, can lead to tissue necrosis, or tissue death. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is typically caused by arrhythmia. What this means is that something goes wrong that causes the normal beating pattern of the heart to go haywire and stop. Although it SCA is generally used by common people to refer to heart attack, and vice versa, the two are actually not the same.
Heart attack oftentimes take place when there is a blockage occurring along the arteries that is keeping the blood rich in oxygen from reaching the heart as well as other major organs. In majority of cases, patients suffering from a heart attack typically experience a number of telltale signs beforehand. This could include a tingling sensation on the hands and the arms, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and nausea, among others. This is something that SCA does not have making it a graver threat to a person.
Of the two cases, AEDs tend to be more useful in cases of SCA. This is because, with the help of the AED, electrical pulses can be sent to the heart in order to help it get back to its normal beating pattern. The electrical pulses actually causes the heart to stop from shivering allowing it enough time to be able to get back to its natural rhythm. What an AED unit does is (1) provide visual as well as audio cues on how to proceed with the CPR, (2) determine whether there is a need for the administration of electrical jolts, and (3) make it possible for just about anyone to perform CPR and help revive a victim.
In typical cases, an AED comes with two pads with electrodes which the user would have to attach to the victim’s chest using adhesives. These paddles are connected to a mini-computer that is responsible for checking what the condition of the patient is as well as if there is a need for administration of electrical jolts.
With more and more states pushing for the implementation of a legislative that make it mandatory for commercial buildings to have a certain number of AED units, the American Heart Foundation are aiming to be able to save more lives than before. Of course, it would also greatly help of institutions really took the time to ensure that there are people within their organization who have been trained to administer CPR.
To know more about how to properly implement an AED program, visit Citywide CPR. They also offer CPR training and certification programs.
