FEATURE
“MOST DEATHS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF SCA ARE POTENTIALLY
AVOIDABLE BY USING
DEFIBRILLATION, BUT THE SUCCESS RATE IS HIGH ONLY IF TREATMENT
CAN BE GIVEN WITHIN FOUR TO FIVE MINUTES OF THE EVENT.”
NOT JUST THE EQUIPMENT European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines place great emphasis on the importance of effective CPR in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. 70% of all CPR is carried out inadequately; when using an AED it is best to minimise interruptions in chest compression and performing chest- compression-only CPR is better than giving no CPR at all. It is therefore advantageous to use an AED which provides feedback on the pace and pressure of compressions during CPR.
on the premises when he suddenly collapsed, lost consciousness and stopped breathing. Having received an AED from BOC Healthcare at her centre the week before, Tara had the ‘adequate and appropriate’ equipment as recommended by the HSE at her centre. She performed CPR and applied the AED pads to Rahul. The device analysed the heart rhythm and prompted Tara to administer the defibrillation shock.
Allowing time to make an emergency call, the ambulance journey time and the time taken to administer a shock, the delay from collapse to paramedic treatment is usually 13 to 14 minutes at best. After this length of time there is virtually no chance of survival. By having awareness of SCA and easy access to the AED, Tara saved Rahul’s life. He has since made a full recovery, been fitted with a pacemaker and is living a normal life.
Tara is proof of the value in having an on-site AED, she added: “We had evaluated the arguments for buying
www.tomorrowshs.com
“SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST (SCA) IS A
CONDITION IN WHICH THE HEART SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STOPS BEATING. SCA
USUALLY CAUSES DEATH IF IT’S NOT TREATED WITHIN MINUTES.”
an AED and had concluded there was a clear benefit to be gained from adding one to our inventory of medical support equipment. It was a surprise to everyone, though, just how quickly that decision would be justified in practice. It was of course an unexpected experience for us but knowing we had the right equipment and had been fully trained in its use meant we were able to handle it effectively”.
Training courses in emergency CPR are strongly recommended to ensure ‘good compressions’ are always deployed. Where an employer decides to provide a defibrillator in the workplace, those who may need to use it should also be trained to provide additional knowledge and skills and to promote greater confidence in its use. Although these units can be operated by anyone, it is always recommended that staff undertake a short training course in their correct use. In Active Luton’s case, Tara had completed her training just a week before the incident.
Most people who have SCA die from it – often within minutes. Every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions. AEDs are designed not just for use by medical professionals but also by appropriately trained first aid personnel in commercial and community premises – enabling these bystanders to save the lives of people who encounter SCA.
www.bochealthcare.co.uk 29
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