AED Authority

Across the nation, more than 30,000 out of hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur every year. Sadly, less than 10% survive, making sudden cardiac arrest one of our biggest killers. However, the survival rate can improve significantly with early defibrillation. Before we dive into why the building industry should include defibrillators in their first aid and emergency plans, let’s understand sudden cardiac arrest a bit more. What is sudden cardiac arrest? Sudden cardiac arrest, sometimes called cardiac arrest or SCA, is when the heart suddenly stops. Your heart’s electrical system controls the rate and rhythm of its pumping. A malfunction in that system causes the heart to go out of rhythm or stop, ceasing to pump oxygen-carrying blood around the body. Every cell in your body needs oxygen, so when the heart stops, it starves your brain and organs; you fall unconscious and stop breathing. Immediate CPR and early defibrillation may reverse a sudden cardiac arrest to save a person’s lif...

It’s a common misconception that sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and heart attack are the same thing. In reality they are quite different and understanding the difference could save your life or the life of someone you love. A heart attack could be described as a ‘plumbing problem’, while sudden cardiac arrest is more of an ‘electrical problem’. Heart Attack A heart attack occurs when a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. If that blocked artery is not cleared quickly, the part of the heart it normally nourishes begins to die. The longer the person affected goes without treatment, the greater the damage. During a heart attack the person is awake and the heart is beating. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the centre of the chest that last more than a few minutes or goes away and come back. Sudden Cardiac Arrest The brain normally sends electrical signals to the heart in order for it to pump blood through the body and keep our organs r...

More than 30,000 out of hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur every year in Australia. Sadly, less than 10% survive, making sudden cardiac arrest one of our biggest killers. Sudden cardiac arrest does not discriminate, it can happen to anyone of any age or fitness level and often occurs without warning. However, if a person receives defibrillation within the first few minutes of having a sudden cardiac arrest their chance of survival is increased to beyond 70% making a defibrillator essential to a cardiac arrest sufferers survival. The best method to ensure the survival of a cardiac arrest sufferer is Call, Push, Shock. Call - for emergency assistance and advanced care. Push – begin CPR. Shock – use a defibrillator to restore normal heart rhythm. So what is a defibrillator? An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that diagnoses life threatening abnormal heart rhythms that can cause a cardiac arrest and the only device that can treat sudden cardi...