Cardiac arrest is the culprit behind a massive number of deaths worldwide. Despite of the many advancements in technology this issue still persists to attack people, no matter the race, gender and age. Nevertheless, medical efforts on addressing this condition cannot be overlooked. Over the years, the manual equipment used to revive a patient’s heartbeat has now become automated, thus the advent of Automated External Defibrillator or AED.
From Manual Defibrillation To Automated External Defibrillation: The Advancements
Back in the days, defibrillator is only available on certain areas such as hospitals and clinics. This is a matter of concern since cardiac arrests are statistically likely to occur outside the vicinity of hospitals. Although proper administering of CPR can greatly increase the chances of survival of a cardiac arrest patient, he must still be brought to a hospital for defibrillation—the process of applying an electric shock to the chest.
Manual defibrillation, the traditional form, requires complex skill by the person using it. One of the features of this machine is its ability to read heart rhythms, referred to as electrocardiogram (ECG). Therefore, the operator of the machine must have knowledge on reading and interpreting heart rhythms to recognize abnormalities that require the use of defibrillation. Once the need for the electric shock is acknowledged, the operator should manually operate the particular model of defibrillator available.
Through the years, the machine has become more portable and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) can now use the equipment event outside hospital boundaries. This is a significant step forward on addressing ventricular fibrillation cases outside hospital bounds. During this time, the equipment is brought to the patient and is administered by carefully trained and supervised paramedics, instead of the other way around.
Computers that are invented forty years earlier has become much smaller during the 1980s. It is also during this period that the defibrillator everyone knows has become computerized as well. Coined as AEDs, these devices greatly reduced the complexities that the traditional defibrillator required. An AED is capable of reading and interpreting a person’s heart rhythm and can instantly deliver shock to the patient with minimal input from the operator. This feature made it possible for people who do not have a medical background to use AED on a cardiac arrest patient.
As the complex steps in using defibrillator decreased, the accessibility of this basic life support increased. Any ambulance, even without the presence of advanced paramedics, is equipped by this device. Soon, police officers are also provided the use of AEDs. Being one of the first people to arrive at a medical emergency situation, police units can now give defibrillation to a patient. After continuous evidence that this device is extremely easy to utilize, public access to AED s are granted. These advances in the accessibility of AED dramatically increased the chances of survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
Nowadays, numerous states recognize the relatively easy-to-use function of AED in comparison to its importance. Due to this, there are true public access defibrillation programs on many states. The number of cardiac arrest occurrence remain to be staggering in amount. The presence of AEDs on any place may continue to increase just like how fire distinguisher is present in any establishment. Cardiac arrests can get just as deadly as fire, so why not have it readily available in your place?
