The Function of Automated External Defibrillators

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are not vastly dissimilar from the ones many of us have seen for years on medical shows or in emergency rooms at hospitals. The device exists to correct a fibrillation, or irregular heart rate that is negatively impacting blood flow, but unlike the standard defibrillators, the automated external defibrillator can be operated by any citizen; even those with little or no medical training.

When a person experiences cardiac arrest or a heart attack, a defibrillator is placed on the chest and an electric current or shock is channeled via electrodes or paddles. The shock is intended to jolt the patient’s elevated and chaotic heart rhythm back into a normal range, thus returning blow flow to normal levels. But in the case of the automated external defibrillator, or AED, the device determines whether or not a shock is warranted, and if so, what level of energy is required to revive the patient. The user cannot override the determination of the AED, and therefore an inexperienced person without medical training need not worry about using the defibrillator on a patient not actually in cardiac arrest.

Due to this drastically reduced risk of abuse, the AED has become a fixture at various public forums such as airports, casinos or sports arenas. There have been many cases where individuals, particularly athletes or the elderly, have been stricken by sudden cardiac arrest only to be saved by the presence of an automated external defibrillator.

One brand of AED available to the public, the Zoll AED Plus, has many features designed to make the use of the defibrillator as simple as possible for someone with little or no medical background. It includes a graphical user interface and voice prompts that will walk the user, step by step, through the entire process, as well as a single pad that eliminates the confusion of placing electrodes on the patient’s body. In addition the Zoll AED Plus runs on conventional batteries, promising both convenience and financial savings.

The American Heart Association strongly supports the placement of Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs in any public places where immediate cardiac care may be needed. Other prime targets include shopping malls, gated communities and office complexes.

For those interested in purchasing an AED for use in their community or organization, the FDA may require a physician’s prescription for the device. Your local EMS system can assist you in determining the local and state protocols for owning and operating an AED.

There are also AED training and education courses available through the American Heart Association. One such course is the new Heartsaver AED course that combines CPR and AED training.

With the immergence of Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs, the potentially life saving measure of averting cardiac arrest has been made available to the general public with a very low risk of misuse or abuse. As AEDs continue to appear in more and more public domains, the hope is that the tragic results of sudden cardiac arrest or heart attack can be reduced significantly, giving regular people the chance to be a hero.

Defibrillators Info provides detailed information on automated external defibrillators (AED), implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), portable defibrillators, and more. Defibrillators Info is affiliated with Original Content.

Refibrillation and Automated External Defibrillators

Concerning refibrillation, Stults and Brown carried out a research and 271 cases in ventricular fibrillation were studied. These 271 patients were assisted by EMT-Ds without being supported by paramedics. The EMTs succeeded to render the heart rhythm to normal for 111 patients. 19 (17%) of the 271 patients refibrillated before the arrival at the hospital, and 11 out of the 19 were brought back to having normal cardiac rhythm. For the 111 patients that were rehabilitated, the admission rates were 53%. This is a low number compared to the 73% admission rate for the patients who did not refibrillate. The discharge rates were almost similar 37% for those who refibrillated and 35% for those who did not.

The research has also shown the fact that the times of transportation from the scene of the incident to the hospital did not influence the frequency of the refibrillation or the survival rate. However, this research has proven that the defibrillation-trained EMTs can successfully deal with refibrillation even if there are no paramedics assisting their work.

Another study has observed the incidence and time course of refibrillation and the survival rate. This study has been done on 49 adults that were administrated the Basic Life Support treatment (BLS). 44% of the patients received cardiopulmonary resuscitation. On average, the first shock was administrated after 6.1 minutes after the occurrence of the cardiac arrest. 61% of the patients refibrillated under BLS treatment, 35% of which more than once. The BLS treatment was associated with survival at discharge and neurological outcome the percentage being 41%. This study proves that refibrillation does not always mean survival to hospital discharge - however, it might indicate higher chances of survival for patients.

Studies in AED and EMT using manual defibrillation were conducted to determine whether there are differences in time to defibrillation. For AEDs usage 1 minute was needed, while for the manual defibrillation done by EMTs, 2 minutes were required.

Bocka has proven in a study that people using automatic external defibrillators were 30 seconds quicker than people using semiautomatic device. Early Seattle studies found a significant difference in time to defibrillation: 1.1 minutes for AEDs versus 2 minutes for EMTs with manual defibrillators. Bocka found that EMTs using fully automatic defibrillators in the field were on average 30 seconds faster than counterparts using semiautomatic devices. These studies show that having an AED at hand at all times is clearly an advantage and therefore, must be prioritized.

More resources from the author:
Biphasic AED defibrillators
AED mandates
CPR and AED resources on automated external defibrillators

Guidant Corporation Recalls Heart Defibrillators

A worldwide recall was announced by Guidant Corporation for nearly 50,000 of their heart defibrillators due to potential malfunctions in these devices.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not require Guidant to take this step, the FDA has stated that they completely support the decision due to the serious nature of the potential defect.

Specifically, the Guidant Corporation heart defibrillators have been shown to have a tendency toward short-circuiting. This means that it is possible for the device to not provide a shock to the heart when needed to regulate the heart rhythm. Reports indicate that at least 45 heart defibrillators have malfunctioned leading to at least 2 days since May 2005.

Models being recalled by Guidant Corporation include:

· PRIZM 2 DR, Model 1861, manufactured on or before April 16, 2002 · CONTAK RENEWAL, Model H135, manufactured on or before August 26, 2004 · CONTAK RENEWAL 2, Model H155, manufactured on or before August 26, 2004

In addition, the FDA announced that Guidant would also be recalling another group of heart defibrillators that have shown to have memory error problems. This group includes the models known as PRIZM AVT, VITALITY AVT, RENEWAL 3 AVT and RENEWAL 4 AVT.

“Patient safety is paramount and our highest priority," Guidant CEO Ronald W. Dollens said in a statement. "Guidant takes seriously its responsibility to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcome and limit adverse events to patients." They also stated that Guidant will continue to sell the original Prizm 2 DR heart defibrillator in spite of a redesign done after discovering a potential flaw in 2002.

If you or a loved one is currently using one of the recalled heart defibrillators, you may have a liability claim against Guidant Corporation. Please e-mail or call the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos, P.C. to schedule a consultation with an experienced defective product attorney at (800)252-6622.

The Benefits of Portable Defibrillators

The onset of the portable defibrillator has single-handedly taken the life saving measures of the cardiac defibrillator out of the exclusive domain of the emergency room, and into the hands of a general public now able to help fight the tragedy of death by sudden cardiac arrest.

A defibrillator is a device developed to combat cardiac arrest or heart attack brought on by a fibrillation or irregular heart rhythm. This irregularity causes the heart to stop receiving enough blood and can result in sudden death if not treated properly.

The defibrillator delivers small electronic shocks to the heart designed to stimulate a return to a more manageable rate and rhythm. Specifically, an electric current is channel through the body into the heart via electrodes or paddles placed on the chest. The current causes the heart muscle to spasm or jolt, and hopefully ends any fibrillation threatening blow flow.

In years past the use of a heart defibrillator was place solely in the hand of heart physicians and emergency technicians. The bulky and difficult to use device was dangerous in the hands of anyone but a trained professional, and they typically were not seen outside of a hospital or medical setting. But with the development of smaller, easier to use, portable defibrillators, regular citizens can be called upon to be lifesavers.

These automated, portable defibrillators take much of the risk associated with their use by regular people. Most importantly, they come with the ability to assess whether or not the patient in question even needs an electric current, and if he or she does, it pre-determines the wattage or power level. A person cannot override the determination of the computer, so the potential for misuse is minimal.

In addition, the light weight and portable nature of the last defibrillators makes them perfect for storage and use at any number of public venues including schools, gate communities, airports and sporting events.

Zoll, one of the most well known makers of portable defibrillator products, have devices that make the life saving procedure easy, even for a person with little to no medical training or background.

The latest Zoll models specifically designed for public access are no bigger than a laptop computer and possess fully automated controls and instructions including voice prompts. They automatically detect what treatment, if any, is needed for the patient and give specific, step-by-step instructions on how to give the proper care. Minimally trained laypersons like security guards, flight attendants and office managers can use the portable defibrillator to potentially stave off death by cardiac arrest, or at least care for the patient until proper medical attention can be provided.

Despite some debate among experts regarding the benefits of a portable defibrillator in the home, there is no denying the advantage of increased access to life saving measures for cardiac arrest victims outside of the hospital setting. With nearly a million Americans dying each year as a result of cardiovascular disease, any measures that give a fighting chance to victims of sudden heart failure has to be regarded as a good thing.

Defibrillators Info provides detailed information on automated external defibrillators (AED), implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), portable defibrillators, and more. Defibrillators Info is affiliated with Original Content.

 

Defective Defibrillators and Pacemakers

Cardiac defibrillators are small devices implanted into the body used for regulating the heartbeats of those with heart problems. A small computer is used to detect an irregular heartbeat and shock the heart into the proper rhythm. Boston Scientific/Guidant is one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of defibrillators and pacemakers.

Just recently, Boston Scientific/Guidant and the FDA recalled a subset of devices within the CONTAK RENEWAL 3 & 4, VITALITY and VITALITY 2 families. This new recall includes about 73,000 implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators and cardiac defibrillators due to faulty capacitors. While this recall is similar to the recall of 2006, this time the failure modes and patient outcomes differ. The capacitors have been causing accelerated battery depletion and reducing the time between the elective replacement indicators and end of life to less than three months.

The original recall from Guidant came in June of 2005 when defibrillators implanted in over 50,000 patients worldwide started malfunctioning. In the US alone, there were 38,000 defibrillators implanted during that time and at least 45 of them had failed, resulting in at least 2 deaths. The defibrillator models recalled in 2005 were

• Prizm 2 DR
• Contak Renewal and Contak Renewal 2
• Ventak Prizm AVT
• Vitality AVT
• Renewal 3 AVT and Renewal 4 AVT ICDs

In addition to the defibrillators, Guidant admitted that up to 18,000 pacemakers had a potential defective moisture seal that lead to dysfunction. These pacemakers were next on the recall list. The pacemaker models include

• Pulsar Max
• Pulsar
• Discovery II
• Discovery
• Meridian
• Virtus Plus II
• Intelis II
• Contak TR
• Pulsar Max II

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective pacemaker or defibrillator you need to seek legal help immediately. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your suffering.

To learn more about the Guidant recall or how to hire a defibrillator lawyer, please visit our website at http://www.resource4guidantrecall.com This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.