You almost always hear people who have suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest, or know someone who has, say they did not expect to fall victim to this fatal health complication at all. Sudden cardiac arrest is an indiscriminate heart disease that can happen to anyone, irrespective of age, background, gender, and health levels.
While we hope to never need a defibrillator, we buy one to prepare for when it does come critically handy. Fortunately, the use of defibrillators have been widely democratised, and portable versions like an automated external defibrillator (AED) are available for everyone in out-of-hospital settings
If you have a defibrillator at home or wherever you work, you have made a socially responsible decision and are one step further to ensuring the survival of your loved ones and the people around you.
If you are looking for an AED for purchase, keep reading this article to help you make informed decisions around AED purchasing.
What are defibrillators used for?
According to the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, around 20,000 Australians suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital each year and 90% of them die. Such cases cannot be stopped from happening, but a defibrillator nearby can help increase the chances of survival of a SCA victim by more than 70%!
So what does a defibrillator do, exactly?
A defibrillator delivers electric shocks to the heart to restore its normal rhythm. This treatment is necessary when someone has a life-threatening irregular heartbeat called arrhythmia, particularly, ventricular fibrillation (VF) which could result in a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
AED is a medical device that stands for Automated External Defibrillator. AEDs are portable defibrillators that cleverly analyse the rhythm of the patient’s heart before deciding whether to administer a calculated shock to restart the heart.
These automatic defibrillators are used on victims of sudden cardiac arrest and are often found in public areas such as schools, gyms, offices, sports clubs, and shopping centres. AEDs are designed to be ready for bystander action.
What to know about purchasing an AED?
Before you purchase AEDs, it is helpful to look into the quality of and technology in the device as it is directly linked to the successful recovery of a patient.
Below are features to look out for when you purchase AED:
- Ease of use
- Maintenance and costs
- Semi or fully automatic
- Paediatric mode
- Warranty
- Storage solution
- Multiple languages
- Ability to self-test
- IP protection class (The IPR is the unit’s resistance against contact or entry of solid objects, water, and dust)
And below are questions you can ask yourself before purchasing an AED:
- Do the members of your household have training to properly operate it?
- Would you want to take it on remote expeditions?
- Can it do its functions without much tinkering?
- Who are you purchasing an AED for? Are there children around you who might be at risk? Best to audit the people in your vicinity and evaluate their potential need for an AED.
Where to buy an AED?
The most important thing to weigh in when you buy an AED would be your choice of AED provider. There are many places to buy from, but it is important to take note of the credibility of your provider, the quality and authenticity of products they offer, and the level of customer service they are committed to giving.
As with any modern medical devices, you will need guidance on how to use AED and maximise its functionalities. It is important that your choice of AED provider can give you the kind of support you may need, when you need it. This includes explanation of fine print, training, on-call support, warranty, among others.
Integrity Health & Safety is your first choice for a cardiac partner
If you are interested in learning more about defibrillators and how they work, Integrity Health & Safety offers a range of public and private training courses including first aid, CPR and more to help you get started.
Our team includes Intensive Care Paramedics and Nurses that work within specific frameworks, such as ISO standards and best industry practice. We are recognised for tailoring our training to suit each workplace and providing relevant, engaging, hands-on training based upon real-life situations.
Our training courses are conducted under the auspices of Healthcorp RTO number 91222.
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