AED kits are pieces of equipment that may be life-saving to a person who has been in an emergency. It is a device that can shock the heart back into a normal rhythm in the event of a cardiac arrest. Using it properly and correctly performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may help in successfully saving a person’s life. These emergency skills may be acquired after enrolling in an accredited first aid course found in Perth.
Cardiac arrest happens when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood when it malfunctions. It may lead to a loss of heartbeat, breathing, and consciousness. It may also cause a person to be disabled or to die if a first aid response is not done immediately. First aid treatment may be performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit.
Are Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack the Same?
No. In cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating suddenly while in a heart attack, only a section of the heart starts to die when blood flow is blocked. People may be confused with these two terms, but they are not synonymous.
What are the Causes of Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest may be caused by many reasons. One common reason is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Others may be heart conditions such as:
- Heart attack
- Inherited heart conditions like cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart valve disease
- Acute myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle)
Cardiac arrest may be caused by underlying situations and conditions that may seem oblivious.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest?
Mayo Clinic lists the following common signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest:
- Chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Palpitations
- Sudden Collapse
- No pulse
- No breathing
- Loss of consciousness
Cardiac arrest may also happen without experiencing any of these.
How Common is Cardiac Arrest in Australia?
About 20,000 Australians suffer from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) every year according to Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Among these, only 10% survive.
Abnormal Heart Rhythm (Arrhythmia)
As mentioned above, Abnormal Heart Rhythm (Arrhythmia) is the common reason for cardiac arrest. According to Web MD, an Arrhythmia may feel like your heart:
- Skipped a beat
- Added a beat
- Feels like “fluttering”
- Beating too fast
- Beating too slow
There may also be cases where you will not feel anything at all.
What Causes an Arrhythmia?
You may have Arrhythmia because of the following:
- Existing heart disease
- An imbalance between electrolytes in your blood
- Heart injury
- Medications
- There is a problem with the electrical signals in your heart
The above-mentioned causes may increase the risk of having Arrhythmia.
What are the Risk Factors for Arrhythmia?
Following are the risk factors of how you might be prone to having Arrhythmia:
- Old age
- Inheritance from immediate family or relatives who have had an Arrhythmia
- Poor lifestyle
- Existing medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, low blood sugar, and obesity
Some of these may be avoided by lifestyle changes like maintaining a heart-healthy diet.
What Are the Symptoms of Arrhythmia?
You may experience the following symptoms when you have Arrhythmia:
- Palpitations
- Pounding in the chest
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Chest pain
- Blurry vision
Experiencing chest pain or pressure may indicate that you are having a heart attack, it is advised to call 000 immediately.
AED kits
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a medical device that is used in providing a first aid response to a person experiencing a cardiac arrest. It comes with other medical supplies that are needed to perform the defibrillation. It delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock may stop the arrhythmia and allow a normal heartbeat to resume. Since it is a medical device that may not be available nearby, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be done first.
What are AED kits?
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit may contain most or all of the following:
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Automated External Defibrillator battery
- Automated External Defibrillator cabinet, case, or backpack
- Adult pads
- Child pads
- ECG cables
- Nitrile gloves
- CPR pocket mask with oxygen inlet
- Shears
- Chest hair razor
- Hand sanitizing alcohol wipes
- Wall sign
- Check tag
It may depend on the type of AED (Automated External Defibrillator) package.
How much Does an AEDÂ kit Cost?
In Perth Australia, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit may cost at least $1,999. Note that it is not the only available defibrillator. Other types of defibrillators may be priced differently.
What are the Types of Defibrillators?
Different types of defibrillators may be categorized as below:
- Advanced life support defibrillators
- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs)
- Wearable defibrillators
When are Certain Types of Defibrillators Used?
The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and other types of defibrillators are used in specific environments and individuals. They may be used as below:
- AED (Automated External Defibrillators) – are usually found in public places such as schools, government offices, malls, and airports. It is also the only prescribed type of defibrillator for home use. They may be handled by a certified first aider who has gone through an accredited first aid course in Perth.
- Advanced life support defibrillators – are usually found in hospitals and emergency medical transport vehicles. They may be used by a medical professional to control the patient’s heart rate and manually intercede if a shock is required.
- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) – are found inside a person’s body as these are surgically inserted into a patient’s chest. This is performed by a doctor, health, or medical professional on people who are at high risk of having a cardiac arrest.
- Wearable defibrillators – are worn by people at high risk of having cardiac arrest but are not candidates for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
First Aid Course for Using the AED
Cardiac arrest may be fatal and records show only a few survive. Several cardiac arrest situations happen outside the hospitals which may be at homes or in public places. In these locations, there may be an AED (Automated External Defibrillators) available that may be used by a certified first aider. First aid management may be done while waiting for emergency help.
What is the Purpose of Being a Certified First Aider?
Being a certified first aider enables you to use different types of life-saving equipment like an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). This allows you to respond correctly and immediately in emergencies like someone having a cardiac arrest. Being equipped and knowledgeable in doing so may help you save the lives of your family, relatives, friends, or even strangers. Especially if they are prone to or at high risk of having cardiac arrest.
How to be a Certified First Aider?
Being a certified first aider may be attained by enrolling in an accredited first aid course provider in Perth. These courses provide first aid training that equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively in the event of an emergency. Proper usage of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit and correctly performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are just some of them.
What are the First Aid Courses I Can Enrol in?
If you want to learn how to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), below are the first aid courses in Perth you may enrol in:
HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitationThese also include first aid training for other life-saving skills like placing participants in the recovery position, use of the EpiPen, and more.
Conclusion
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kit contains the defibrillator and other medical supplies necessary to conduct the defibrillation. It is the treatment conducted by first aiders to people who have had cardiac arrest. Correct usage of this kit and the knowledge of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may help save a person from death after having a cardiac arrest. These life-saving skills and knowledge may be acquired by enrolling in first aid courses in Perth.
