Give life saving support with AED training

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of premature death.  Many of the victims of SCA can be saved if a person nearby recognises what is happening, applies CPR and uses an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.  AEDs have been installed in many public places and workplaces, with the intention of restarting the victim’s heart as soon as possible.

Who is at risk of Cardiac Arrest?

We all know about the major risk factors of heart attacks – diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure and smoking – however, there are several lesser known causes that can catch people unaware.  The British Heart Foundation (BHF) recently warned that more than 620,000 people in the UK have a faulty gene that puts them at an increased risk of heart disease and sudden death from cardiac arrest.  What’s worse, many of them are unaware that they even have this gene.

It seems the pressure of modern living is also putting a strain on our hearts, with many women falling victim to stress-related heart attacks.  In research carried out by cardiologists at Aston Medical School, it was revealed that over 1000 people every year are suffering heart attacks brought on by emotional events.  As they are far less likely to suffer from known risk factors, it makes them more difficult to identify.

What these statistics serve to prove is that even those not considered high risk, could have a heart attack or go into cardiac arrest at any time.

Life Saving Support

This is why the presence of an AED is so important, as life-saving support can be given whilst waiting for professional medical help to arrive.

However, it is not as straightforward as it sounds.  Not enough people are confident in delivering CPR or using an AED.  A recent report by The British Heart Foundation (BHF) revealed that only between 30 and 40 per cent of bystanders intervene when they see someone collapse.

Lack of confidence and training is not helping the victims of cardiac arrest, especially when you consider that less than 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest¹.

So, what is being done about it?

AED Training

From 31^st December 2016, it has been made compulsory for all first aid training providers to include automated external defibrillator (AED) training on their first aid at work courses.  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revised its first aid at work syllabuses to place more emphasis on the role of an AED in treating a casualty who is unresponsive and not breathing.

What is an AED?

“An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm².”

At First Response First Aid we include competency-based AED training as standard on our one, two, and three day first aid at work courses.

We are also a UK distributor for ZOLL, selling their AED Plus Defibrillator all over the UK.  This defibrillator is the only AED to help the rescuer achieve the correct rate and depth of chest compressions through CPR, and it has been proven that victims of cardiac arrest defibrillated with ZOLL AED Plus® defibrillators with Real CPR Help are more than twice as likely to survive compared to those treated without Real CPR Help³.

To find out more about the features and benefits of the ZOLL AED Plus® or to place an order please click here or call the First Response First Aid Team on 01543 372888.

Sources

1 - Rajagopal S, et al. Resuscitation. 2016:109:110 115.doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2016.09.014

2 - Wikipedia

3 - Bobrow BJ, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2013; Jul;62(1):47–56 e1. Epub