According to experts, four minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest is known as the "golden four minutes", and if effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation (usually achieved with the help of an AED) are carried out within four minutes, the survival rate of the patient can be significantly improved.
What is an AED according to experts? How is it going to work? Today we will take you to unveil the "mystery" of the AED.
First: What is an AED?
AED is a portable medical device, the full name is Automatic External Defibrillator (English: Automated External Defibrillator), is able to automatically analyze the heartbeat, respiratory arrest of the patient's electrocardiogram, and in the need to defibrillate (shock) when the shock is given to the non-professionals can use it to save the life of a cardiac source. It is a medical device that can be used by non-professionals to save patients from sudden cardiac death.
Secondly, when do I need to use an AED?
This device is specially designed for people who don't know how to use it, and there are voice prompts for each step of the process after the device is turned on, telling you the steps to be taken and the process to be followed.
Simply put, the indication for an AED is ventricular fibrillation, and it does not deliver a shock to an injured person who has no heart rate and has a horizontally straight ECG (i.e., the heart has stopped completely).
Ventricular fibrillation, short for ventricular fibrillation, is a fatal, irregular series of extremely rapid, ineffective ventricular contractions, a type of arrhythmia. At this point, even though the heart doesn't stop beating completely, it loses its ability to pump blood efficiently, and within seconds the patient loses consciousness due to insufficient blood supply to the brain. If left untreated, the lack of oxygen for more than 5 minutes can cause irreversible damage to brain tissue, and death can follow.
AEDs can be used to stimulate the heart with an electric shock in a very short period of time, restoring it to a normal beating state, also known as defibrillation.
According to 2018 statistics from the Fire Department of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the life-saving rate of patients can be increased to 53.5 percent with the use of an AED, which is six times higher than just calling an ambulance and three times higher than just doing cardiac compressions.
AEDs can dramatically improve a patient's chances of survival
Third: How do I use an AED?
If a person faints in public, we can use an AED as follows:
1. Call out to the person who has collapsed, and keep patting his or her shoulder to make sure the person is still conscious.
2. If there is no response, please call 120 immediately and ask people nearby to find the nearest AED device.
3. Check the chest and abdomen of the collapsed person to see if they are breathing.
4. If the collapsed person is not breathing or is not breathing normally, immediately perform heart compressions (chest compressions) and do not stop.
5. When the AED arrives, expose the chest and attach the electrode pads as instructed. Remove any metal from the collapsed person to avoid any protrusions, such as a pacemaker; if the chest is wet, quickly wipe off the water and apply the electrode pads.
6, according to the voice instructions of the AED, when the AED is analyzing the ECG, please follow the voice instructions and move away from the person who has collapsed (if someone touches the body, it may not be able to perform the ECG analysis correctly).
7. When the AED's voice command indicates that a shock is required, make sure that no one touches the body of the person who has collapsed.
8. Press the button to administer the shock.
9. Immediately after the shock, reapply cardiac compressions with the AED electrode patch attached.
10. After 2 minutes, the AED will automatically determine whether to apply another shock and issue a voice command.
11. Wait for an ambulance to arrive.
To make it easier to remember, it can also be simplified into 3 steps:
1. Quickly call 120 and seek the help of those around you to bring a nearby AED;
2. Don't interrupt cardiac compressions until the AED arrives;
3. When the AED arrives, use it according to the voice prompts.
Fourth: How to find a nearby AED device?
Most of the mainstream map navigation software on the market, such as Tencent Maps, AutoNavi Maps, Baidu Maps, etc., can also be found, open the map navigation software - search for "AED" can be viewed.
Well, that's it for today.
We are the old Xiaolei, helping the elderly to keep up with the new era of technology! We wish you good health and good luck!