Hearts and February Go Hand in Hand. Help Save a Life in Cardiac Arrest

Russ King
2024-01-31T10:00:04-05:00

AED4Life Canada

Hearts and February Go Hand in Hand. Help Save a Life in Cardiac Arrest.

Let’s Keep Every Heart Beating

What is an AED?

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is an easy-to-use, portable device that can restart the heart of a person who is in cardiac arrest.

If someone unexpectedly collapses, is unresponsive and not breathing, that person is likely experiencing cardiac arrest. Their heart has stopped beating and their blood is no longer circulating oxygen to the brain, heart and vital organs. The person is at a high risk of dying, and every second counts.

You could help save a life if you respond quickly and take these actions.

• Call 9-1-1 for help and shout to another bystander to get an AED.

• Start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to keep the blood circulating.

• Use an AED as soon as one is found to restart the heart.

Doing CPR – placing the heel of your hand in the centre of the chest, interlocking the fingers of your other hand on top, and pushing hard and fast – keeps the blood circulating, but it does not restart the heart. Only an AED can. The portable device administers an electrical shock to the unconscious person that causes their heart to resume its natural rhythm.

An AED is easy to use

Anyone can use an AED. You don't have to be a medical professional.

The device is smart – it will only administer an electrical shock to a heart that needs it. You cannot hurt, you can only help!

An estimated 45,000 cardiac arrests happen each year in Canada. This means, on average, one person living in Canada suffers a sudden cardiac arrest every 15 minutes. Cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime, at any age, without warning.

Currently, 80% of cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital setting and nine in ten of these people do not survive. If you perform CPR and use an AED on a person experiencing cardiac arrest, you have doubled their chance for survival.

AEDs may look different but they work the same

AEDs are available in various models, but they all operate in fundamentally the same way. You can use an AED by following three basic steps:

• Turn the power on. Either open the lid or press the power button. All AEDs give voice prompts. They also display clear, simple visual instructions.

• Attach the AED pads to the person’s bare chest. There will be an illustration on the AED pads; place the pads exactly as shown in the pictures.

• Press the shock button if the voice prompt tells you to. If no shock is advised, continue doing CPR until emergency medical services arrive.

Let’s all learn how to use and AED and place more AEDs in businesses and community places.

Let’s Keep Every Heart Beating.