Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. One reason why only one in twenty may survive is that help does not reach the others in time. More and more we hear of someone being saved at an airport, on a plane, in a restaurant, gym or some public place, is because there was an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) on the site. A great many communities are now passing laws requiring businesses or any public building, such as libraries, restaurants, gyms, etc. to have an AED on site for use in an emergency.

In the past, hundreds of thousands of people have died because AED’s were not available. They were not accessible to the average individual, because they were too cumbersome and expensive, and did not have the approval of the FDA for individual use. With the passing of the “Good Samaritan Laws”, and the great advance in today’s technology, and without the need of prescriptions, an AED is available for the average household to have one on hand. It is especially important because of the aging of our population, and especially in a household that may have individuals who have health problems and are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

About the size of a laptop computer, today’s AED’s, have the computerized technology to automatically assess an individual’s condition. The person using the AED does not have to have medical training to interpret the cardiogram; the AED will determine if the patient’s heart rhythm requires an electrical shock to restore the normal rhythm. The AED clearly instructs the rescuer by voice instructions through every step of the life saving process until help arrives.

With all these technological advances and the new affordable prices, it now possible for the average household to have an AED on hand to save someone’s life, should the need arise.