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Home Heart Care Ltd is an official UK authorised distributor of Philips HeartStart Defibrillators. All our units are United Kingdom Specification and CE marked. We do NOT import units with a foreign specification for resale. Make sure you ONLY buy from an official Philips distributor. |
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“ Around 270,000 people suffer a heart attack in the UK each year, about a third of whom die before reaching hospital due to cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrest most often occurs as a result of a heart attack, when the heart is starved of oxygen.” “Cardiac arrests cause the heart either to quiver , known as fibrillation . or stop beating altogether. The defibrillators work by delivering a controlled electric shock through the chest wall to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat after a cardiac arrest.” Understanding Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Defibrillation Introduction The following information is designed to help people understand more about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and defibrillation using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Philips is the global leader and trusted choice in AED technology. What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest? Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is one of the most common causes of death in developed countries. It is estimated that more than 3 million people worldwide die from SCA each year.1 SCA is an electrical malfunction of the heart typically associated with an abnormal heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation. It is a condition in which the heart’s electrical impulses suddenly become chaotic, causing an abrupt cessation of the heart’s pumping action. Victims collapse and quickly lose consciousness, often without warning. Unless a normal heart rhythm is restored, death follows within a matter of minutes. The average survival rate is less than five percent. How Do You Treat Sudden Cardiac Arrest? A heart in ventricular fibrillation must be defibrillated. To defibrillate the heart —to stop the chaotic and unproductive quivering of VF — an electrical shock must be applied. Defibrillation is recognized as thedefinitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation. Defibrillation administered within the first few minutes after collapse has the highest chance of success. The likelihood of successful resuscitation decreases by approximately 7-10 percent with every minute that passes. After several minutes, very few resuscitation attempts are successful. Thus, the most important element in the treatment of SCA is providing rapid defibrillation therapy.
The"Chain of Survival" is recommended for responding to sudden cardiac arrest. Early defibrillation is widely regarded as the single, most important step in the Chain of Survival. Does Early Defibrillation guarantee survival for the patient? Unfortunately there is no guarantee that early defibrillation will ensure a patients resuscitation and survival. It may be impossible to restart the patient’s heart for a number of reasons. Also a successful resuscitation is no guarantee of longer term survival of the patient. Early defibrillation does however provide the best chance of resuscitation and survival for someone suffering sudden cardiac arrest. Defibrillation is the only treatment for sudden cardiac arrest due to fibrillation of the heart. Who Is At Risk For Sudden Cardiac Arrest? SCA is largely unpredictable. Many victims have no prior history or symptoms of heart disease. One common cause of sudden cardiac arrest is a “heart attack” (Myocardial infarction) when cardiac arrest can often occur in the early stages of a heart attack leading to collapse and death within a few minutes. Other factors besides heart disease and heart attack can cause SCA, including respiratory arrest, electrocution, drowning, choking or trauma. Some people, for example those who have suffered a heart attack (Myocardial infarction) in the past may be at higher risk Can the Philips HeartStart Defibrillator be used on children? Yes, HeartStart can be used on infants and children. HeartStart Infant/Child SMART pads cartridges for children weighing less than 25Kg are sold separately. Philips defibrillators were the first automated external defibrillators available for use on children under the age of 8 or weighing less than 25Kg. HeartStart can be used on children weighing over 25Kg with the standard adult SMART pads cartridge. If you wish to purchase a Philips HeartStart defibrillator for possible use with a child it is essential you consult with your doctor or cardiologist before obtaining a unit What Is An Automated External Defibrillator? An AED is a small, compact device that interprets heart rhythms and can deliver electrical shocks to treat sudden cardiac arrest. The main difference between AEDs and the manually operated defibrillators often used by medical professionals is that AEDs are designed for use by people who may not have the extensive training required to use a manual defibrillator. Philips AEDs are very simple to operate. You don’t need to recognize or interpret heart rhythms, because the AED does that automatically. The Philips HeartStart Defibrillator uses clear, natural voice instructions that guide the user through each step. Is Defibrillation Hard to Learn? No! Defibrillation (delivering an electrical shock to the heart) using an AED is easy to learn. The training takes just a short amount of time. For many people, operating an AED is easier to learn than CPR. Many firefighters, first aid personnel, and flight attendants, as well as personnel in hospitals and clinics, have been performing manual defibrillation for years. More recently, flight attendants, first aid personnel, security staff, and others have used AEDs to help save lives. AEDs are being placed in medical and dental offices, clinics, health clubs, sports arenas, golf clubs, casinos, and other public places. Now with the introduction of the Philips HeartStart Defibrillator, even ordinary people with no medical background can use an AED to help save a life. Why the Need for “Early” Defibrillation? Time. Only one out of every 20 SCA victims survives—some of these lives could potentially be saved through timely defibrillation. With a brief window of opportunity for effective intervention, it is vital that a victim be defibrillated within the first few minutes of arresting. Published data also show that nearly 80 percent of cardiac arrests occur in the home. Yet, survival rates are 30-50 percent lower than in public places with defibrillators. Because of this critical time factor, the first trained person at the patient’s side should perform defibrillation. The American Heart Association and other national and international medical organizations are advocating defibrillation within five minutes of arrest. Can I really make a difference? Yes! It is a proven concept that the only effective treatment for SCA is prompt defibrillation. The availability of AED technology means that defibrillation can be a part of all CPR programs. When prompt defibrillation is combined with CPR, survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest dramatically improve. What are the legal issues surrounding the deployment or use of defibrillators? Do we need any training ?
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