AEDs – at the Heart of Saving Lives

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world. Every year more than 400,000 people die in the USA and 700,000 across Europe, from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). A significant number die in the workplace, with co-workers and customers at risk from SCA. While cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a vital component in the management of the SCA patient, the only definitive treatment is early defibrillation. For every minute that defibrillation is delayed survival falls by ten percent.
Conclusion: The placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDS) within the workplace can increase survival rates and save lives.
This is the abstract from a report by Steve Jelf, the International Clinical Director at Cardiac Science Corporation. To see the full report, including a detailed introduction to heart disease and AEDs, see here.