We all know that cardiovascular disease is on the rise but as a whole most people don’t live in fear about a heart attack. But we should become very aware about sudden cardiac arrest. Heart attack and cardiac arrest are two very different conditions. Think of a heart attack as a plumbing problem, it strikes those you might anticipate with risk factors such as age, obesity, cholesterol and family medical history. Heart attack victims remain conscious and they are treated in the Hospital with stents, balloons and bypass surgery. Think of cardiac arrest as an electrical problem, the heart misfires and the victim becomes unconscious followed by death minutes later. Cardiac arrest does not discriminate, it takes both women and men and practically any age to include kids. Cardiac arrest sadly takes about 1,000 lives per day in the U.S. which represents more than any cancer type or any other cause of death.

Now the good news… an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a small, compact life-saving device which could reverse death and revive a cardiac arrest victim. You’ve seen these emergency in airports, government buildings, sporting venues and really anywhere that people gather. What you may not have realized when you’ve seen defibrillators in cabinets is that they are actually designed for ordinary people rather than medical professionals. Here’s how to use one:

1. Instruct someone to call 911 and to get the AED or defibrillator
2. Begin CPR compressions hard and fast in the middle of the chest (breaths are optional now)
3. Power on the AED and follow the voice and visual prompts
4. You’ll open electrode pads and place them on the upper right and lower left chest
5. The AED will analyze the victim’s heart rhythm and tell you how to proceed
6. If a shock is advised, you might be prompted to push the shock button or the shock might commence automatically
7. Resume or begin CPR compressions at a rate of 100 more compressions per minute or to the “Staying Alive” beat
8. Continue follow directions until medics arrive and be prepared that sometimes the victim might require more shocks and CPR

Not everyone is meant to be a first responder but with AEDs really anyone can save a life. They are safe, simple and the technology keeps getting better and better to make them even more user-friendly.

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