What is an AED? AED 101
AEDs are Automated External Defibrillators. These are battery-operated, portable devices that deliver an electrical shock to restart normal heart rhythms during sudden cardiac arrest.
When AEDs are used in combination with CPR in the first minutes of a heart attack, the survival rate is much higher.
Intervention within 3 to 5 minutes of a heart attack improves survival rates and saves lives. AEDs first analyze the heart rhythm of the patient and then deliver an electrical shock to the heart if necessary.
How Do AEDs Improve the Chance for Survival After A Heart Attack?
AEDs enable rapid response to time-sensitive cardiac emergencies. Studies show resuscitation is rarely successful when CPR and defibrillation occur 10 minutes or more after cardiac arrest. The availability of AEDs enables life-saving resuscitation measures within minutes of cardiac arrest. Each AED includes pad electrodes and a battery to conduct an electrocardiogram. Once the electrocardiogram is interpreted, an electrical shock is delivered to restore a normal heart rhythm.
According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 18,000 US citizens suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital but in a public setting. Bystanders administering aid using an AED while waiting for first responders to arrive are estimated to save at least 1,700 lives.
Bystanders, even with little to no medical training, can save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim. Intervening immediately with CPR and an AED can keep blood pumping to the brain and body, as well as restoring a normal heart rhythm.
This pre-arrival care can make the difference between life and death. An estimated 4 to 10 minutes passes from an emergency 911 call until medical responders arrive.
The longer it takes emergency responders to reach the cardiac arrest victim, the more critical bystander intervention becomes. Long-term recovery with minimal disabilities increases with the immediate use of AEDs after a heart attack.
UVA Emergency Medicine Physician William J. Brady, MD believes most bystanders can recognize a heart attack is occurring, call 911, initiate CPR, and operate the portable AED.
Dr. Brady co-authored a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. In it, Dr. Brady wrote that the chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest event decreases by 7% to 10% for every minute without CPR and defibrillation.
How Many AEDs Are Available in the US?
OHS Online reports that fewer than 4 in 100 victims of sudden cardiac arrest are resuscitated by bystanders using automated external defibrillators. The number of lives saved would be higher with greater availability of AEDs in public places.
Currently, there are not nearly enough publicly accessible AEDs to cover the entire US. It is estimated that 40 million AEDs would be required to cover all areas of the US. Since the 1990s, only 4.5 million AED units have been sold.
Types of AEDs
There are two types of AEDs:
- Professional Use AEDs
These are the AEDs used by emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and other professional first responders.
- Public Access AEDs
Public access AEDs are located in schools, government buildings, airports, community centers, and other public settings. Minimal training is required to be able to administer aid with public access AEDs.
AEDs can be fully automated or semi-automated:
- Fully Automated Defibrillators
Fully automated defibrillators contain software that does not require intervention from the user. These AEDs analyze the heart rhythm and automatically deliver a defibrillation shock when appropriate.
- Semi-Automated Defibrillators
Semi-automated defibrillators also analyze the heart rhythm. If defibrillation shock is necessary, the user will be prompted to deliver the defibrillation shock by pressing a button on the device.
Can Non-Medical Bystanders Use AEDs?
Yes. AEDs are simple to use and portable. The user is walked step-by-step through the actions necessary by voice prompts, text messages, and lights.
When cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, death results within minutes if CPR and resuscitation measures are not initiated. By taking immediate action instead of waiting for first responders to arrive, the lives of many cardiac arrest victims can be saved.
About The Myra Logan Heart Fund
AEDs save lives. Of the 424,000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that happen annually in the United States, only 10% of victims survive. The chances of survival increase from 6% to 74% if an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is used to deliver shock therapy within three to five minutes of a heart attack, but tragically only a tiny fraction of cardiac arrest victims in the United States ever get the immediate help they need.
The Myra Logan Heart Fund’s mission is to get an AED into every home, office and school. Its purpose is to educate the public about the importance of AEDs, increase their accessibility, and empower people to save lives.