What is an AED?

Who can use an AED?

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)?

Why are Defibrillators important?

Are Sudden Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack the same thing?

Will an AED always resuscitate someone

Do I still need to call 999 / 112 for an ambulance?

Can I hurt someone with an AED?

Can any school apply for an AED?

 

What is an AED?

 

An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a small, lightweight device that analyses a person's heart rhythm and can recognise irregular heart rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT), also known as Sudden Cardiac Arrest. 

 

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Who can use an AED?

 

AED’s are designed to be used by anyone who arrives first on the scene of a medical emergency, even those with minimal or no First Aid or AED training.

 

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What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)?

 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition that causes a person’s heart to stop pumping blood because of an electrical fault in the heart. This can be caused by many things but the main cause of SCA in adults is a heart attack. Electrical chaos ensues, and results in uncontrolled, non-productive quivering of the heart chambers leading to unconsciousness and death in a matter of seconds.

 

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Why are Defibrillators important?

 

When a person suffers an SCA their chance of survival reduces by between 7- 10% for every minute that passes by without defibrillation. In the UK approx 270,000 people a year suffer from cardiac arrest but many of these lives could be saved if defibrillators were more readily available.

 

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Are Sudden Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack the same?

 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is caused by an electrical malfunction in the heart, whereas most heart attacks are caused by coronary heart disease, which causes a blockage in the main artery that supplies blood to the heart.

 

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Will an AED always resuscitate someone?

 

No. The AED will only treat a victim experiencing VF or VT. If the casualty is in cardiac arrest without these heart rhythms then the victim will need CPR and medication instead. CPR will help to maintain a shockable rhythm if one is present. Without early CPR, an AED will be less successful when the victim has been in cardiac arrest for more than a few minutes.

 

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Do I still need to call 999 / 112 for an ambulance?

 

Yes! Although an AED is the best treatment for cardiac arrest the victim still needs urgent medical attention. An ambulance can take several minutes to arrive so they need to be called as early as possible.

 

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Can I hurt someone with an AED?

 

No. A victim of SCA is, for all intents and purposes, dead. Use of an AED represents the only chance for survival. AEDs have numerous built-in safeguards and will only shock if the defibrillator recognises the casualty is in cardiac arrest.

 

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Can any school apply for an AED?

Yes, we want all schools in the UK to be Heart Safe and we want to give at least two FREE defibrillator packages including training for staff and students to a school in the UK each month. If your school is unsuccessful we want you to get involved in your own fundraising activities and we will support you in doing this. This can be achieved by seeking corporate sponsorship from local companies to your school and organising fundraising events at your school. We have a corporate pack and a Fundraising Pack to help you raise the funds necessary to purchase a defibrillator and training.

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