When is defibrillator used

Do you know how to use a defibrillator? Remember that anyone can use an AED to provide potentially life-saving treatment to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. Voice prompts and visual cues on the device will guide the rescuer, ensuring the process is made as simple as possible.

Let us know if you have any further questions by tweeting us imptraining and joining the conversation. Fill in the form below and we will send you a reminder before your current qualification expires. Want to keep up to date with our first aid news? Never miss a post by subscribing to our mailing list!

Chain of Survival When someone suffers an out of hospital cardiac arrest, their chance of survival is increased if certain actions are carried out in order. Three of which, can be performed by members of the public who act fast, applying basic life-saving knowledge to the situation: Early access, recognition and call for help. Being able to recognise that someone is in cardiac arrest is the first step in assuring they receive the necessary treatment.

Early CPR. Performing chest compressions can keep the heart going until a defibrillator is present. Early defibrillation. Good Sam can locate nearest first responders to help too.

Defibrillators are crucial to be able to have a chance of bringing someone back following a cardiac arrest. CPR helps circulate the blood, keeping the heart and brain sufficiently oxygenated.

The AED is necessary to deliver the shock hopefully returning the heart to a viable rhythm. Most sudden cardiac arrests result from ventricular fibrillation VF. AEDs are only indicated for use if someone is unconscious and not breathing normally.

An AED will only enable a shock to be given if someone is in a shockable rhythm — Ventricular Fibrillation or Ventricular Tachycardia, the machine will recognise the rhythm and advise whether or not a shock is advised. The sooner you recognise there is a problem, get help on the way, start CPR, use a defibrillator and transfer the casualty to advanced medical care, the better the outcome.

The Defibrillators Availability Bill was first read in Parliament in and not only recognises the need for AEDs in public places but also legislates for awareness and training to ensure people are ready to use them. Consequently, all young people in England should have learnt how to give CPR and use a defibrillator by the time they leave secondary school. Hopefully this will dramatically improve our survival rates from out of hospital cardiac arrests, to the same extent as it has in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries.

However, if your needs assessment identifies an AED need then it is recommended that staff should be fully trained in its use. Hundreds of people are alive today entirely due to the prompt and appropriate use of a defibrillator. Once activated, the AED will talk to you and tell you what to do:. Check for: Danger: Do not put yourself in danger Response: If no response shout for help and if possible, get a bystander to call for an ambulance and locate a defibrillator if there is one.

Airway: Open the airway and check for breathing. If you have help: Get your bystander to let the emergency services know that the casualty is unconscious and not breathing. Meanwhile, you should bring the AED as quickly as possible. Continue CPR whilst waiting for the defibrillator. To give effective CPR : push down cms on the centre of the chest at a rate of about 2 compressions per second and ensure a release from pressure in between compressions, to enable the heart to refill.

Give 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Defibrillators are designed to be as easy as possible to use. Firstly, activate it. Machines vary but this is usually done by opening the lid or pressing an obvious button. Dry the chest and use the razor to shave if excessively hairy. Peel the pad off the backing one at a time and place onto the dry chest according to the diagram on the packet. The AED will analyse the heart rhythm. Ensure no one is touching the casualty. Check the whole length of the casualty to ensure no one is touching them.

Press the flashing shock button as directed fully automated AEDs will do this automatically once a shock is advised. Continue with CPR as directed. Keep going with 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Do not stop to check them unless they begin to regain consciousness and start breathing normally.

The machine will reassess their heart rhythm every 2 minutes and advise another shock if indicated. Stop CPR if the casualty begins to regain consciousness and starts to breathe normally. However, we need far more in the community and work-places to be able to have the major improvements on survival from cardiac arrest that is seen in other countries such as Sweden. Unfortunately there are many common misconceptions about defibrillators that prevent people from incorporating them in their mainstream first aid equipment:.

Furthermore, they are now available in so many public places and are easily accessible for the general public to grab and use as quickly as possible in a medical emergency. Additionally, you do not need specific training to use them. They are available for use by the general public.

Ideally you would have received training in how to give the best CPR as this will make a huge difference and give them the best possible chance of survival. Using an AED is simple. You cannot use a defibrillator if the casualty does not need it! It will not let you. Sadly, this is not the case. There are many reasons why someone may experience a sudden cardiac arrest and it is not possible to resuscitate everyone.

However, good quality CPR, prompt use of a defibrillator and swift transfer to professional medical care, will give them the best possible chance.

Definitely not the case. The sooner you use the defibrillator the better their chances of survival. If a child is unconscious and not breathing, you should use a defibrillator as quickly as possible in the same way as you would with an adult. For a child you start with 5 rescue breaths.

It is essential to be giving effective CPR alongside using the defibrillator. CPR circulates blood to the heart and brain. Without quality CPR it is highly unlikely the casualty will survive. I am afraid that this is highly unlikely as our emergency services are hugely overstretched and they are not likely to be with you within 3 minutes. First Aid for Life provide award-winning first aid training tailored to your needs.

Please visit our site and learn more about our practical and online courses. It is vital to keep your skills current and refreshed. We are currently providing essential training for individuals and groups across the UK. In addition, we have a great range of online courses.

These are ideal as refreshers for regulated qualifications or as Appointed Person qualifications. You can attend a fully regulated Practical or Online First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

First Aid for Life is a multi-award-winning, fully regulated first aid training provider. Our trainers are highly experienced medical, health and emergency services professionals who will tailor the training to your needs. Courses for groups or individuals at our venue or yours.

First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. We are not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken on this information. Dear Marie, I am afraid you have been wrongly advised. Resuscitation UK are very clear that rescue breaths are still advised and give a casualty the best chance, unless you are unwilling or unable to give them.

Please refer to Resuscitation UK for more information and take this up with the person who trained you. Compressions are — bpm, so that is fine. Do I remove AED once the casualty starts breathing normally and if not removing then do I keep the device close till I need it again? Where do you take it as I think the pads will need replacing and battery recharging. The battery should be fine after using the machine, it usually lasts 5 years and will have a warning light and sound to let you know if it needs replacing.

You will need to replace the pads, but you should always have a spare set anyway. Devices called automated external defibrillators AEDs can be used at home and in schools and are also found in a number of public places. These lightweight, portable devices are available without a prescription. If you have severe heart disease, you're at risk of sudden cardiac arrest and might want to consider having an AED. But AEDs can resuscitate you only if you have a specific type of heart rhythm problem.

Talk to your doctor about whether owning an AEDs could help save your life. AEDs are used to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest. This usually occurs when a disruption in the heart's electrical activity causes a dangerously fast heartbeat ventricular tachycardia or a fast and irregular heartbeat ventricular fibrillation.

If you're having one of these irregular heart rhythms, your heart doesn't pump effectively and may even stop. When this happens, your brain and other vital organs don't get the blood and oxygen they need, and you can even die if you don't get treatment within minutes. The sooner your heart's normal rhythm is restored, the greater the chance that you won't have permanent damage to your brain and other organs.

If you're having ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia and an AED is nearby, a bystander in a public place or a family member can use it to jolt your heart back to a normal rhythm and possibly save your life. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR after cardiac arrest can keep blood flowing to your heart and brain for a time. But often only defibrillation can restore the heart's normal rhythm.

Together these treatments can improve your chances of survival. If you see that someone has fainted and suspect that he or she may need an AED :. The home AED comes with an instructional training video that shows how to use and maintain the device.

If you buy an AED , everyone in your home should watch the video and review it periodically. Police and ambulance crews carry AEDs , and they're commonly available in many public places, including malls, office buildings, sports arenas, gyms and airplanes. However, many cardiac arrests occur at home, so having a home AED can save precious minutes in reviving a person with ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Proponents of home AEDs say putting them where they're needed most will save many lives.

But critics argue there's no reliable evidence that home defibrillators save more lives. For some people who have a high risk of cardiac arrest, having an AED can provide peace of mind and might help save their lives.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you consider whether to buy an automated external defibrillator:. If you get an AED for your home, make sure that family, friends and visitors know where it is and how to use it. And you need to maintain it properly. Here are some tips for buying and maintaining your home AED :. AEDs offer a way to save a life.