Heart disease can, unfortunately, lead to sudden cardiac failure- the absence of cardiac rhythm demands an electrical shock great enough to restart the heart. Defibrillators are usually associated with the hospital setting, and evoke scenes of medical personnel scrambling during patient resuscitation; suddenly, someone yells ‘clear’ and applies jump paddles to the patient’s torso. There is a lightweight, portable edition of the device. Those who have developed heart problems may want to consider having this lifesaving implement.
Before attempting to buy an automated external defibrillator, it’s best to consult with one’s primary care physician to determine if the device would be useful and safe. As a matter of fact, many schools keep the device handy. Automated defibrillators work great in the home setting. Remember that AEDs have mechanical limits that only detect issues within a range.
Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are two conditions that may prompt some to buy an automated external defibrillator; tachycardia is when the heart is beating dangerously fast, and fibrillation is defined by irregularity. The heart is meant to beat based on a rhythm according to the individual, yes, but if an unbalanced heartbeat is allowed to exist without remedy, then other organs suffer as a result.
It’s also a good idea to have someone around who is familiar with the AED and knows how to interpret the step-by-step instructions in case of an emergency. Consider visiting Vita First Aid’s inventory of portable AED devices. Follow us on Facebook.
