Australia's Favourite Online Defibrillator & AED Supplier
Australia's Favourite Online Defibrillator & AED Supplier
Key Takeaway: Defibrillators allow the hearts electrical signal to reset itself.
Understanding what do defibrillators do is essential for everyone, especially in emergency situations.
Carly Ryan never could have predicted that her split-second decision on her last day of work would save her mother’s life.
As she was heading out the door of her office to go on leave, she decided on a whim to grab the defibrillator from the wall, thinking it would have no use in a locked building over the Christmas break.
Little did she know that this simple action would prove crucial in the early hours of January 14, when her mother Robyn, a fit and healthy 63-year-old grandmother with no pre-existing medical problems, woke up complaining of chest pains before abruptly going into sudden cardiac arrest.
Thanks to Carly’s quick thinking and the availability of the defibrillator, her family was able to provide life-saving care to Robyn before paramedics arrived. Carly’s action highlights what do defibrillators do in life-threatening situations.
Things turned out great for Robyn! But it was having access to the defibrillator that made all the difference. Many people aren’t as lucky because they don’t have these lifesaving devices around.
Perhaps you’re interested in getting a defibrillator, but you wonder- are they worth it? What do defibrillators do?
Here’s the low down: Defibrillators are life-saving devices that are essential in emergencies.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what defibrillators are, how they work, when they’re used, and the benefits they offer in saving lives.
A defibrillator is a medical device that delivers a controlled electric shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm during a cardiac emergency.
When the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, it can cause the heart to act chaotically.
A defibrillator works by sending a strong electrical current through the heart, momentarily stopping its chaotic rhythm and allowing it to restart with a normal, coordinated beat. Recognizing what do defibrillators do can be lifesaving.
There are three main types of defibrillators:
While manual defibrillators and ICDs play crucial roles in managing cardiac emergencies, here we will be focusing on AEDs. Defibrillators for use in homes and public spaces have become increasingly important. And for good reason!
By making defibrillators readily available in public places, the chances of survival for those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting have significantly improved.
In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into how defibrillators work and when they’re used to save lives.
To truly understand what do defibrillators do, we must examine their function closely.
Your heart is like a big pump that keeps blood flowing throughout your body. It has its own electrical system that tells it when to beat and pump blood.
This electrical system is kind of like a conductor in an orchestra, making sure all the different parts of the heart are working together in harmony.
Sometimes, the heart’s electrical system can get mixed up and that’s bad news for the heart. It can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or in an irregular way. This is called an arrhythmia.
Some arrhythmias are harmless, but others can be life-threatening. Rather than beat properly the heart can wobble randomly (Like Jelly) and that’s very bad because if the heart is not beating you’ll fall unconscious and the body will start to shut down.
Cardiac arrest can be caused by various factors, including:
Drowning: Lack of oxygen can cause the heart to stop beating.
Trauma: Severe injuries to the chest or heart can disrupt the heart’s normal functioning.
Bleeding: Excessive blood loss can cause the heart to stop pumping effectively.
Electrocution: Electrical shocks can disrupt the heart’s electrical system.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA): This is often a genetic defect where the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart to stop beating suddenly.
Heart Attack: A blockage in the coronary arteries can damage the heart muscle and sometimes lead to SCA.
So how do defibrillators help? When the heart’s electrical system is in trouble, the defibrillator can deliver a controlled shock to help get it back on track.
The shock momentarily stops the heart’s chaotically quivering or wobbling and gives it a chance to reset and start beating normally again. It’s a bit like turning a malfunctioning computer off and on again.
Defibrillators are used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias. These arrhythmias cause the heart to quiver or beat too fast to pump blood effectively. If someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest and has one of these shockable rhythms, using a defibrillator as soon as possible can greatly increase their chances of survival.
AEDs, which are designed for use by the general public, are designed to take the stress out of using a defibrillator. They have built-in safety features to prevent the inappropriate delivery of a shock.
When defibrillator pads are applied to the chest, the AED analyzes the heart’s rhythm and will only allow a shock to be delivered if it detects a shockable rhythm.
That means if someone’s heart is beating, you won’t accidentally give them a shock. Or if they need additional help that the defibrillator cant provide it will get you to focus on CPR until emergency help arrives rather than shocking them when it wont do anything.
When someone’s heart stops working properly, it can be a very scary situation. There are two main types of emergencies that can happen to the heart: cardiac arrest and heart attack. While they may sound similar, they are actually quite different.
Imagine your heart is like a big pump that keeps your blood moving through your body. A heart attack happens when one of the tubes that bring blood to your heart gets blocked. This is like a clogged pipe, and it can damage the heart muscle if not treated quickly.
On the other hand, cardiac arrest is like a power outage for your heart. The heart suddenly stops beating properly and can’t pump blood to the rest of your body. This is usually because of a problem with the heart’s electrical system, which tells it when to beat.
While a heart attack can sometimes lead to cardiac arrest, they are not the same thing.
When someone is in cardiac arrest, their heart can have different types of abnormal beats, or rhythms. Some of these rhythms are called “shockable,” which means they can be treated with a special machine called a defibrillator.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) are two types of shockable rhythms. They happen when the heart is beating too fast or in an irregular way. A defibrillator can help by giving the heart a controlled shock, kind of like a reset button, to help it start beating normally again.
However, not all abnormal heart rhythms are shockable. Non-shockable rhythms, like asystole (ay-sis-tuh-lee) and pulseless electrical activity (PEA), can’t be fixed with a defibrillator shock. Asystole is when the heart isn’t beating at all, and PEA is when the heart has some electrical activity but isn’t pumping blood. In these cases, CPR and other treatments are needed to help the person until the underlying problem can be found and fixed.
Understanding the difference between cardiac arrest, heart attack, and shockable vs. non-shockable rhythms is important. It helps us know what kind of treatment is needed in an emergency situation. Recognizing these differences can also help us appreciate how amazing and complex our hearts really are!
Before we move forward, we have to look back though. Let’s consider a brief history of Defibrillators
The concept of using electricity to treat the heart dates back to the late 19th century. In 1899, physiologists Jean-Louis Prévost and Frédéric Batelli discovered that small electrical shocks could cause ventricular fibrillation, while larger shocks could reverse the condition. This groundbreaking finding laid the foundation for the development of defibrillators.
In the early 1900s, several researchers began experimenting with electrical shocks to treat cardiac arrest. In 1947, Dr. Claude Beck, a cardiovascular surgeon at Case Western Reserve University, performed the first successful human defibrillation during open-heart surgery. He used two metal spoons as paddles, delivering the electrical shock directly to the patient’s heart.
In the 1950s and 1960s, advancements in technology led to the development of more sophisticated defibrillators. In 1956, Dr. Paul Zoll developed the first external defibrillator, which could be used without opening the chest cavity. This device was bulky and required a 120-volt electrical outlet, making it impractical for widespread use.
Over the following decades, defibrillators became more compact, portable, and user-friendly. In 1965, Professor Frank Pantridge of Belfast, Northern Ireland, invented the first portable defibrillator, which weighed about 150 pounds and could be transported in an ambulance. This invention marked a significant milestone in the history of defibrillators, as it allowed for earlier intervention in cases of cardiac arrest outside of hospital settings.
In the 1990s, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were introduced, making defibrillation accessible to the general public. These user-friendly devices featured automated voice and visual prompts, guiding users through the defibrillation process step-by-step. AEDs analyze the heart’s rhythm and only deliver a shock if a shockable rhythm is detected, minimizing the risk of inappropriate use.
The widespread availability of AEDs in public places such as airports, shopping malls, and sports facilities has significantly improved the chances of survival for people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. Many countries have implemented public access defibrillation (PAD) programs, which aim to make AEDs more readily available and train lay people in their use.
Today, defibrillators continue to evolve, becoming even more compact, easy to use, and effective in saving lives. The development of wearable and implantable defibrillators has further expanded the scope of this life-saving technology, providing protection for individuals at high risk of cardiac arrest. As research and innovation continue, the future of defibrillation holds promise for even more advancements in the fight against sudden cardiac death
When a person has a cardiac arrest it’s crucial to use a defibrillator as soon as possible. The longer the heart doesn’t pump. the less likely the person is to survive.
We’re talking 10 percent less chance of living each minute
Think of it like this: Using a defibrillator early is like calling the fire department as soon as you see smoke. The quicker you react, the better the chance there will be something left after the fire is put out. In the same way, the sooner a defibrillator is used, the better the chances of the person recovering.
Studies have shown that using a defibrillator within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest can greatly increase a person’s chances of survival. In fact, if a defibrillator is used within the first 3-5 minutes, the survival rate can be as high as 70%!
You might be wondering, “What about CPR? Isn’t that important too?”
Absolutely! CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a way to help keep blood pumping through the body when the heart has stopped. It involves pressing on the chest and giving rescue breaths.
CPR is crucial because it helps keep the brain and other organs alive until a defibrillator can be used. However, CPR alone is not enough to restart the heart in most cases of cardiac arrest.
Think of CPR as the sidekick to the defibrillator’s superhero. CPR helps buy time, but the defibrillator is what ultimately saves the day by getting the heart beating normally again.
In summary, defibrillators are incredibly important tools in saving lives during cardiac arrest.
The sooner they’re used, the better the chances of survival. While CPR is also crucial, it’s the combination of early CPR and defibrillation that gives someone the best chance of making it through a cardiac emergency.
So, if you ever see a defibrillator in a public place, remember: it’s there to help save lives!
One of the most significant advantages of AEDs is that they are designed to be user-friendly. You don’t need to be a medical professional to operate an AED effectively.
These devices provide clear, step-by-step voice and visual instructions that guide users through the entire process.
Some models even have a display screen with video and visual prompts.
When you open an AED, it will immediately start giving you directions. It will tell you how to check for responsiveness, how to call for emergency help, and how to perform CPR if needed. When it’s time to use the defibrillator, the AED will instruct you on how to attach the electrode pads to the person’s chest and when to deliver the shock.
Think of an AED like a GPS for saving lives. Just as a GPS gives you turn-by-turn directions to reach your destination, an AED provides step-by-step guidance to help you potentially save someone’s life.
Another key benefit of AEDs is that they are becoming increasingly common in public spaces. You can find AEDs in airports, shopping malls, schools, sports facilities, and many other locations where large numbers of people gather.
Having AEDs readily available in public places is crucial because cardiac arrests can happen anywhere, at any time. The more AEDs there are in the community, the better the chances of someone receiving life-saving defibrillation quickly.
It’s like having a fire extinguisher in your building. You hope you never need to use it, but if a fire breaks out, you’ll be glad it’s there. Similarly, while we hope never to witness a cardiac arrest, knowing that an AED is nearby can give us peace of mind and the ability to help in an emergency.
Now thanks to Hollywood, there are still some common misconceptions about how defibrillators work and what they can do. Let’s now address some of these myths and set the record straight.
Defibrillators are true life-savers. These powerful devices have the potential to turn ordinary bystanders into extraordinary heroes, giving people the power to save lives in the face of cardiac emergencies.
Throughout this guide, we’ve seen how defibrillators work, when to use them, and the incredible impact they can have on survival rates. But knowing about defibrillators isn’t enough – it’s time to take action.
We urge you to learn more about defibrillators and how to use them. Imagine the feeling of knowing that you have the skills and knowledge to save someone’s life in their darkest moment. That’s a gift that you can give yourself and your community.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your journey to becoming a potential lifesaver, we invite you to check out our Defibrillator buying guide. This comprehensive resource will guide you through the process of choosing the right defibrillator for your needs, whether it’s for your home, workplace, or community organization.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Invest in a defibrillator today and give yourself and those around you the best chance at surviving a cardiac emergency. With your help, we can create a world where defibrillators are as common as fire extinguishers, and where sudden cardiac arrest is no longer a death sentence.
Remember, when it comes to saving lives, every second counts. Be prepared, be empowered, and be the hero someone needs in their most critical moment. Ultimately, it is important to recognize what do defibrillators do to respond effectively.
Click here to find the perfect defibrillator for you and start your journey to becoming a lifesaver today!
