The AED, also known as Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable electronic device to diagnose and treat life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. It analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, produces an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat. AEDs are created to be used by non-medical professionals, such as bystanders or first responders, to increase the chances of survival of a person experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. But how to use an AED? This comprehensive article will explore the definition of AED, its types, AED procedures, and every step in using an AED.
Approved AED kits usually include the following:
- Shield for face
- Rubber gloves
- Towel
- Scissors for cutting clothes
- Razor to shave men’s chest hair
Types of AED
There are two main types of AED devices for Sale: fully automatic and semi-automatic. Fully automatic AEDs deliver the shock without user intervention, while semi-automatic AEDs require the user to press a button to deliver the shock. Both types of AEDs are designed to be easy to use and come with visual and audio prompts to instruct the user.
Consideration Before Using an AED
An AED machine should never be used on a victim of a heart attack who is still breathing and conscious. There are a few checkpoints that should be satisfied before using an AED or delivering a shock to the victim. Check if:
- The person is breathing and conscious, if not, prepare the victim for the shock.
- Make sure no one is in contact with the unconscious patient, including you, while the AED is analyzing the heart rhythm.
- After the AED machine advises “shock,” again, make sure that no one is touching the victim. Once clear, press the shock button.
How to Use an AED? Steps for Using AED
In emergencies where every second counts, understanding how to use an AED is important. This guide will equip you with the necessary steps to employ an AED for adults and children, providing a systematic approach to administering aid during cardiac emergencies. From initiating the device and applying electrode pads to analyzing heart rhythms and delivering shocks or performing CPR, this overview provides you with the knowledge needed to act decisively and potentially save a life. Let’s explore a step-by-step guide for using an AED on Adults and Children.
How to USE an AED on Adult
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is used during a medical emergency when a child above 8 years old or 55 pounds or an adult is not breathing. So, after evaluating if the person needs help, ask the bystander to call 911 for help. Below are the steps for operating an AED:
- Call for Emergency Services: If you witness a cardiac arrest victim, the first and foremost thing is you immediately call for emergency services.
- Turn on the AED: Press the power button of the device and follow the AED procedure.
- Follow the AED prompts (Voice commands): Most Automated External Defibrillators (AED) have voice prompts that guide you through the steps for using AED. Follow the AED machine instructions carefully.
- Prepare the Person: Remove the person’s shirt and expose their chest. Ensure that the person’s chest is dry and hairless.
- Apply the Pads: Peel the AED pads from their packaging and apply them to the person’s bare chest, as shown in the AED’s picture guide. One pad should be placed on the upper right side of the victim’s chest above the nipple and the other on the left side, just below the armpit.
- Analyze the Heart Rhythm: Once the AED electrode pads are in place, the AED will begin analyzing the person’s heart rhythm. Ensure no one is touching the person while the analysis is taking place.
- Follow the AED’s instructions: The AED will either suggest a shock or not based on the heart rhythm analysis. If the AED advises a shock, ensure everyone is clear of the person, then press the shock button.
- Begin CPR: If the AED does not advise a shock, begin high-quality CPR immediately. High-quality CPR includes chest compressions, rescue breaths, and positioning. Follow the AED’s voice prompts, which will guide you through the process of performing chest compressions and rescue breaths.
- Continue until Emergency Services Arrive: Continue CPR until emergency medical services arrive and take over.
How to Use an AED on a Child?
- Power On: Turn on the AED.
- Expose Chest: Remove clothing covering the child’s chest.
- Attach Pads: Place one pad on the lower left chest and the other on the upper right chest.
- Analyze Rhythm: Let the AED analyze the heart rhythm.
- Shock if Advised: If the AED advises a shock, press the shock button.
- CPR: If no shock is advised, perform 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths.
- Continue: Follow the AED prompts, alternating between shocks and CPR until emergency medical help arrives or signs of life return.
Remember, using an Automated External Defibrillator(AED) can significantly improve the chances of survival during a cardiac arrest. Quick action and proper use of AED can make a critical difference in saving a child’s life. It’s essential to stay calm, follow the device’s instructions, and act swiftly in this life-saving situation.
While delivering AED to a child 2 alterations are to be memorized:
- Pad placement: While delivering AED to a child, the electrode pads should be placed one on the center of the chest and one on the center of the upper back.
- Chest compressions: Chest compression for a child under 8 years old has a different rhythm than the adults. The chest compression on a child should be no more than 2 inches (1/3 of the depth of the chest)\
Adult and Pediatric Pads for AEDs:
AEDs have two sets of pads- Adult pads and Pediatric pads. The American Heart Association suggests that pediatric pads should be used on infants and children under eight. Standard adult pads can be used if the child pads are unavailable. However, you can use the adult pads for anyone 8 years or older.
How Does an AED Affect the Rhythm of the Heart?
By delivering a carefully calibrated electric shock, the Automated External Defibrillator(AED) depolarizes the entire electrical system of the heart, momentarily halting chaotic rhythms like ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia. This interruption allows the heart’s cells to repolarize, essentially rebooting the heart’s electrical activity fully. The shock’s potency is crucial, ensuring complete cell repolarization; insufficient power may leave residual irregularities.
Successful AED application hinges on this precise modulation of cardiac electrical activity, aiming to swiftly and effectively transition the heart back to a coordinated and sustainable rhythm, thereby enhancing the chances of survival in critical cardiac emergencies.
Here’s an overview of how an AED affects the rhythm of the heart, basic AED function:
Detection of Abnormal Rhythm
AEDs are equipped with sensors or electrodes that are attached to the chest of the individual experiencing cardiac arrest. These sensors monitor the heart’s electrical activity and detect whether there is a shockable rhythm, specifically ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT).
Analysis of Rhythm
The AED’s internal computer analyzes the detected rhythm to determine if it is a shockable rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia are considered shockable rhythms because they involve chaotic and uncoordinated electrical activity in the heart.
Charging the Capacitors
If the AED determines that a shock is necessary, it charges its internal capacitors to deliver a controlled electric shock to the heart.
Delivery of Electric Shock
The AED prompts the rescuer to ensure that no one is touching the person and then delivers a sudden and brief electric shock through the electrodes on the chest. This shock is intended to depolarize the entire heart, momentarily stopping all electrical activity.
Resetting the Heart’s Rhythm
The hope is that the shock will allow the heart’s natural pacemaker to reset and resume a normal, coordinated rhythm. The momentary interruption of electrical activity during the shock allows the heart to “restart” and, ideally, begin beating normally again.
Post-Shock Analysis
After delivering a shock, the AED continues to monitor the heart’s rhythm. If needed, the device may advise additional shocks or prompt the rescuer to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until emergency medical services arrive.
Why is Defibrillation Important?
Cardiac defibrillation is a medical procedure involving an electric shock to the heart, used to restore a normal rhythm during life-threatening situations like cardiac arrest. Every minute that passes without defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 7-10%. Timely defibrillation with devices like Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is crucial in emergencies to improve the chances of survival for individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
Defibrillation is important because it can restore a normal heart rhythm in individuals experiencing a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia, specifically ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. These arrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, where the heart is unable to pump blood effectively.
Defibrillation delivers an electric shock to the heart, momentarily stopping all electrical activity. This brief pause allows the heart’s natural pacemaker to regain control and reestablish a normal rhythm. The sooner defibrillation occurs after the onset of a life-threatening arrhythmia, the higher the chances of successful resuscitation. Studies have shown that using AEDs in the first few minutes after cardiac arrest can increase survival rates by up to 75%. This highlights the importance of having AEDs readily available in public places and workplaces.
Also, learn: Importance of CPR Training
AED Training at Heart Start CPR
AED training is necessary to ensure individuals can use the device correctly and confidently in an emergency. Proper training can decrease the risk of errors and increase the likelihood of a successful outcome. AED training can come in various forms, such as in-person training courses, online training programs, or hands-on practice sessions. Some training programs also include CPR and first aid training, as these skills are often used with AED usage. Join us at Heart Start CPR for our AED training course! Our professional instructors will guide you on how to use an AED to assist in the resuscitation of an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Use this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and save a life. Sign up for our AED training course today!
Conclusion
Understanding how to use an AED and following the correct steps are essential in providing timely and effective assistance during cardiac emergencies. Recognizing the importance of CPR training and knowing when to use an AED are critical considerations. The guidelines on when and how to use an AED on adults and children and specific instructions for pad placement and chest compressions enhance the reader’s understanding of proper AED application.
Combining AED with CPR can lead to an effective assessment of a victim that increase the chance of survival. Learn the synchronized use of AED along with CPR in our updated online BLS certification course designed for healthcare providers, first responders, and general public.
FAQs for Operating an AED
Do you have to do CPR before using an AED?
Yes, combining CPR and AED has a greater survival outcome. CPR should be delivered until the defibrillator machine arrives and should be continued until professional medical help arrives.
Are there instructions in an AED?
Yes, there are manual instructions given in an AED. Modern devices have voice commands that analyze the situation of a victim and instruct accordingly.
When should the rescuer operating an AED clear the victim?
The rescuer operating an AED should clear the victim when the AED prompts them to do so, typically before delivering a shock. It is essential to ensure that no one is touching the victim during the analysis and shock delivery to avoid interference with the AED’s accurate assessment of the heart rhythm and the rescuer’s safety.
What rhythm is not shockable?
The rhythm that is not shockable is pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole. These rhythms represent no heart muscle activity, so delivering shocks to these rhythms would do no good since there is nothing to “reset.” In these cases, identifying primary causation, performing good CPR, and administering epinephrine are the only tools to resuscitate the patient.
What to do when AED is analyzing?
Just allow the AED to analyze the heart rhythm of a patient. Do not touch the victim because it can alter the defibrillator’s result output.
What are 4 things you should not do when using an AED?
- Do not touch the victim while analyzing
- Do not apply electrode pads directly over implanted devices (pacemakers)
- Do not use AED on breathing victim
- Do not use AED on a victim lying on a conductive surface
Can you use an AED on a pregnant woman?
Yes, it is safe to use an Automated External Defibrillator(AED) on a pregnant woman who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association (AHA) has found that using an AED on a pregnant woman is crucial for survival and the survival of her unborn child.