AED is the acronym for Automated External Defibrillation. It's the hallmark of an emergency response to sudden cardiac arrest. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest at one every 34 seconds. Nearly 300,000 people suffer from Sudden Cardiac Arrest every year in the United States, and the survival rate is only 8% when they occur out-of-hospital.
A prompt counter-shock to the heart is needed within four to six minutes of the adverse event. The proper use of CPR and AED's is known to improve the chances of survival from 8 percent to 49 percent.
AED Definition
The automated external defibrillators are the specialized equipment used to rapidly restore functional heartbeats in a heart with rapid erratic beats--or ventricular fibrillation. The patient with a sudden cardiac arrest, though pulseless, may actually be in fibrillation for some time before the heart goes into a state of complete cessation of electrical activity. It's crucial that the heart receives defibrillation before all activity ceases--within the first four to six minutes--by then, it's invariably too late to restore any function.
The machines are called external defibrillators. This distinguishes them from internal defibrillation achieved through implanted devices. They're automated to minimize fidgeting and standardize response at a time when it's most crucial.
How they work
The standard AED comes pre-programmed and is incredibly user-friendly. Once turned on, it gives prompts for every essential step of its application, takes a reading of the individuals heart. The device will assess whether or not the individual needs a life saving shock.
The American Heart Association includes defibrillationuse in its "Chain of Survival," from Sudden Cardiac Arrest:
1. Early Recognition of the Emergency and Activation of Emergency Response System (phone 9-1-1 immediately)
2. Early CPR
3. Early Defibrillation
4. Early Advanced Care
If the sudden cardiac arrest even occurs out-of-hospital, defibrillation would then be completed with an AED.
Effectiveness
The American Heart Association says that in cities where individuals with sudden cardiac arrest receive AED within four to six minutes of their symptoms, the survival rate is up to 49 percent--compared to the usual 8 percent without. This is the drive behind installing the AED in public buildings and encouraging training in CPR and AED for everyone. Heart disease is the number one killer nationwide. An effective emergency response with widespread access and training in the use of an AED can drastically reduce fatalities.
