Significance of Defibrillators

1. Article 2: Cardiaclife.net SIGNIFICANCE OF DEFIBRILLATORS The healthy heart beats at a rhythm of about once a second or 60 times a minute. Now just imagine the heart beat increasing to 120 times a minute-a suitable rate for light exercise. The heart is still competent at this rate, but definitely it’s doing hard work. Now let’s double that heart beat level i.e., 240 times a minute which is four times a second –a time when it won’t be able to pump blood properly or manage to keep up the high rates of work. This is what sudden cardiac arrest is like. The heart is trying to beat dangerously fast hence it can no longer really pump. All of sudden the cardiac muscles begin to waver thereby, resulting in the improper pumping of blood. This situation, if not managed on time, can actually be fatal. In medical terms, the cardiac output ultimately drops to zero (0) in just a few seconds. This heart condition usually leads to rhythm disorder called ventricular fibrillation (VF). It can create a potentially fatal and sudden onset heart rhythm. If left untreated, a person with ventricular fibrillation (VF) attack can die in short span of four (4) minutes. Sudden cardiac arrest from ventricular fibrillation is not similar to a heart attack. A heart attack is a "plumbing problem" of the heart, a situation where blockage in the blood vessels prevents blood flow. Other plumbing problems that can occur in the heart are associated with the valves or ability of heart muscle to pump. Cardiac rhythm disorders are electrical problems which occur because of issues in the electrical system of the heart and can unfortunately happen to a person who normally has an otherwise "healthy heart." The heart generates electricity for beating. That electricity flows through the heart along conduction pathways. But many times an electrical impulse gets "distracted" on the pathway, making endless loops, faster & faster thus, causing the heart to contract &relax faster to keep up with the electrical signals. This is V-Fib. A Defibrillator is an electronic device that delivers electrical shocks to restore a faulty heart rhythm. The electrical system of the heart responds to electrical energy, regardless of the age of the person. External defibrillation relies on special equipment and two paddles that send the electricity through chest. Defibrillation equipment is standard in many clinics, hospitals, and it is increasingly common in colleges, airports, railway stations, schools, and other public places because sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, without warning, and there is often not enough time to get the victim to a hospital. Defibrillators are in widespread use all over the world. Studies have proven that they save lives better than most drug therapy for ailing people who are prone to electrical problems of the heart. They are not difficult to use either. Trained professional medical personnel are not at all required to assist a heart attack victim. A shock is delivered through the electrodes applied to the chest of the patient’s body. This electrical current creates a tremor in the heart muscle to end the fibrillation. CardiacLife.net is the renowned distributor of all AED Defibrillator brands & accessories. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Davey Higgs is a veteran doctor and an extremely respected name in the medical world who also loves writing various articles and blogs, helping people understand cardiac problems better. He recommends CardiacLife.net as one of the most trusted names when it comes to Philips AED, Philips Headstart and other similar products needed to maintain cardiac health.