To Save Lives, Learn What AED Is and How to Use It
If you see someone fainting when you are in public, you probably already know that you should call 911 and start compressing your chest . But there is another important action that can help a person survive: send someone for the nearest AED.
An automatic external defibrillator (AED) is a device that can shock the heart, similar to the electrical electrodes you’ve probably seen on television doctors. Small, user-friendly versions are found in many public areas and are intended to be used by even those with little or no training.
They work because many cardiac arrests result from ventricular fibrillation . This means that the heart cells, instead of pumping at the same time as they should, are out of sync. The heart trembles or vibrates instead of squeezing in strong pumps and cannot move blood efficiently through the body. The severe electric shock from AED can restart the heart and improve survival compared to CPR alone.
Know where the closest AED to you is
I make a mental note every time I see an AED when I leave the house. I know that in my child’s kindergarten there is, for example, right at the front door. They are usually found in a common location, easily accessible, and set up where you can see them. Pulsepoint has an AED map and you can add the ones you find. It’s a good idea to ask at the front desk in places where you spend a lot of time (work, school, etc.) if they have an AED and where is it located.
When it’s time to use the AED, be sure to call 911 and start compressing your chest while someone is walking around to retrieve the device.
Follow the instructions
If you are on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, you will likely be able to use the training version of the AED. The amazing thing to me is that you don’t have to remember exactly what to do – the machine speaks to you and guides you through the steps you need to take.
Among them: after you adhere the electrodes to the human body, the device will “listen” to the electrical signals of the heart to determine if the person has ventricular fibrillation. If the machine detects a normal heartbeat, it will not shock the person. So you don’t need to be sure why the person passed out; just attach the car and let it do its thing.
Here is a complete set of Red Cross instructions . Note that it says the AED is for “a non-breathing child 8 years of age or older who weighs over 55 pounds, or an adult”. If the machine detects that a person needs an electric shock, you make sure everyone is standing to the side, no one is touching the person, and then press the button. After a shock, or if the device does not recommend shocks, perform CPR as usual.