(March 18, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Increasing the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public areas can shorten the time it takes for individuals suffering from cardiac arrest to receive a potentially life-saving shock and increase their chances of surviving without permanent brain damage, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here is some information about AEDs:

•    They are machine that can detect the presence of abnormal heart rhythms and deliver a shock that can restore normal rhythm

•    Ideally, they should only be used by individuals trained to use them, although one does not have to be a health care professional to be trained

•    They can be life-saving in those suffering from cardiac arrest

Researchers from of Kyoto University Health Service looked at how the distribution of AEDs to public sites affected the outcomes of individuals who experienced cardiac arrest outside of the hospital setting. The study was conducted from 2005 through   2007, during which time an increasing number of AEDs were being made available across Japan.

During the study period, over 12,000 individuals experienced cardiac arrest associated with a type of heart arrhythmia known as ventricular fibrillation while bystanders were present. Of these individuals, nearly 4% received shocks with AEDs operated by bystanders, and this proportion increased as the number of publicly available AEDs increased. Among those who were treated with a public access AED, nearly 32% were alive a month later with little or no brain damage. The availability of AEDs shortened the time it took for those suffering from cardiac arrest to receive a shock, and the sooner they received the shock, the more likely they were to have a positive outcome. As the availability of public access AEDs increased, the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest occurring outside the hospital with little or no brain damage also increased.

Today’s research demonstrates how providing easy access to AEDs can save lives and improve outcomes of those suffering from cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting.