There has been much talk about Cardiac Arrest in the past few weeks, from the NFL player Damar Hamlin to Lisa Marie Presley. Would you know how to respond? Cardiac arrest is a disruption in the normal activity of the heart. The heart rhythm can completely stop or can become too ineffective to circulate the blood through the vital organs of the body. Many times, it happens without warning and for various reasons. Time is critical when responding to someone in cardiac arrest. You never want to delay calling for advanced medical care and beginning CPR starting with chest compressions, however you also want to hookup an AED machine to the injured or ill person as soon as possible. This could be their best chance of survival.
An Automated External Defibrillator is the single most important device to save someone’s life if they have gone into Cardiac Arrest. You can use an AED on anyone, including pregnant women, infants, and people with pacemakers. You would want to refrain from hooking up an AED on someone who is submerged in water or lying in a complete water source such as a large puddle of water. You should remove the person from the water source and dry the area of the body where the pads should be placed. An AED is simple to use, however it is best to complete training on the proper use of the device. The most important thing to remember is to turn on the device and follow the verbal instructions. Think about where you may find an AED. More and more commercial businesses are preparing their staff members for the use of an AED as well as supplying their facilities with an AED machine. The more places that are equipped with AED machines and the more people trained to use these machines, give people a better chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.