Defibrillator FAQ
What is a defibrillator?
A defibrillator is a device used to shock the heart back into a regular pattern when the heartbeat increases due to ventricular defibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. It analyzes the patient’s heart rhythm and advises the person applying first aid whether or not a shock is needed to restore a normal heart beat. If the shock does result in a restored heart rhythm, then the patient is said to have been defibrillated.
Is it hard to learn how to use one of these devices?
It only takes a few minutes to learn how to use this type of defibrillator, which is applied outside the body. You do have to be trained to use a defibrillator because there is some risk to the person operating the device and others around him/her if either of them touches the patient’s body at the same time the shock is delivered
Are defibrillators widely available and accessible?
At one time the use of a defibrillator was limited to a hospital and could only be used by a doctor. However, there are now automatic external defibrillators that can be used in emergency cases where a medical professional is not available.
Are there any risks involved?
There is some risk to the person operating the device and others around him/her if either of them touches the patient’s body at the same time the shock is delivered. Other health risks include skin burns to the patient from the electrodes, abnormal heart rhythms and blood clots. If a patient has a pulse, no matter how weak, a defibrillator should never be used. It should never be used where the patient has to remain close to other people who may be touching some part of the patient’s body.
How is the defibrillator used?
It has to be used within minutes of the attack or the patient may not recover. The first thing that the medical staff and paramedics called to the scene have to do is check for a pulse. If a patient has a pulse, no matter how weak, a defibrillator should never be used. When you start to use it, you have to apply the pads to the patient’s bare chest. You need to check for jewelry, patches or anything else that might interfere with the defibrillator. Then you plug in the pads connector to the defibrillator and announce for anyone close to the patient to stand away. Make sure no one is touching the patient. If the shock waves restart the heart, you do not have to do any more shocks. Continue to do as the machine tells you until you can find a pulse or all efforts to resuscitate the patient have failed.
What is ventricular fibrillation?
Ventricular fibrillation is a serious condition in which the normal electrical activity of the heart gets out of order. The lower chambers of the heart contract rapidly and in an irregular fashion. As a result the ventricles do not beat. Instead they flutter and the heart pumps very little blood, if any at all. When this happens to a person, he/she needs medical help immediately. If not collapse or sudden death could occur within minutes. A defibrillator has to be used to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm.
What is the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest?
Even though a person who is having a heart attack may experience abnormal heart rhythms, a heart attack is not the same thing as cardiac arrest. A heart attack is caused by a blockage in an artery so that the blood flow cannot reach the heart muscle and it starts to die. There are warning signs and symptoms of an impending heart attack, which include:
Pain in the chest, jaw or upper abdomen
Excessive sweating
Nausea
There are few symptoms with cardiac arrest because it happens so suddenly. Heart attack victims remain conscious, while victims of cardiac arrest lose consciousness and there is no pulse.
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death and two out of three deaths occur before the patient reaches the hospital. It is unpredictable and no one is immune to the possibility of having cardiac arrest. Although the risk increases as people get older and if they have had previous heart attacks, the majority of people who die from this condition have never had a problem with the heart.
What are the first steps to take if someone near me has a cardiac arrest?
If you are near a person who has had cardiac arrest, the layman’s terms for ventricular defibrillation, the first aid measures you need to take should be:
Call for help
Position the patient’s head so that it is in line with the rest of the body making it easier for the patient to breathe.
Try to locate a pulse by placing your fingers on one of the carotid arteries in the neck.
Start CPR using mouth to mouth resuscitation and chest compressions
Continue until the patient revives or medical help arrives
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