Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) Testimonies

AEDs are portable, life-saving medical devices used to treat persons suffering from sudden cardiac arrest, a condition in which the heart stops beating abruptly and unexpectedly.

When applied during the first few minutes of a victim's collapse from sudden cardiac arrest, CPR and early defibrillation are helpful in saving lives.

Here are some testimonies about this technology

FRASER, DON

Don Fraser, 78, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, was a passionate golfer and restorer of classic cars. Thanks to an AED and a quick-thinking savior, he is still alive today. Last year, Don was playing golf at the Monticello Country Club on a sunny August afternoon. His health had been lacking. He wasn't experiencing chest pain or having trouble breathing. He couldn't seem to calm down since he was so worried. He was terrified. He contacted his son, who then dialed 911, as he was unsure of what to do.

A few minutes later, Don abruptly stopped speaking, passed out, and became blue. He was not breathing anymore. AED in the area was connected by a quick-thinking rescuer. The rescuer understood Don's life-threatening situation because they had AED training. The AED examined Don's heart rhythm after the AED pads had been applied to his chest. When the deadly arrhythmia was identified, the AED self-charged to shock Don's heart.

The AED instructed the rescuer to press the shock button to deliver the shock after it had been charged. When the first shock did not work, the AED instantly tried again, and the rescuer gave the second shock.

Don started breathing and his skin tone restored to normal a few seconds after the second shock. Don quickly recovered consciousness and started interrogating the rescuer about what had just transpired. Don was aware that something significant had just occurred to him, but he was unsure of how to describe it.

His heart had ceased beating, the paramedics informed Don. His life was saved by the rescuer and AED. Don was brought to the medical center. Don was given a stent in one of his coronary arteries after cardiologists determined that he was experiencing a heart attack. Since the incident, Don has had a typical life. Don continued to rebuild vintage automobiles this past winter and is looking forward to playing golf this summer thanks to an AED and a certified rescuer.

The tale of Don is not unique. His heart was instantly shocked with an AED, which led to him being revived. AEDs are effective and have to be accessible anywhere there are fire extinguishers.

Mary May

A chance occurrence at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on July 17, 2004, led to a spectacular, life-saving event. Two women were engaged in the strange turn of events: Mary May, a resident of the San Francisco Bay region, and Leslie Meyers, a clinical specialist with Medtronic, a medical technology business and the inventor of defi brillation, a procedure that shocks a stopped heart to restart it. May was waiting for her trip back to California when they first met. ?She claims, "I felt my face become quite cold. ?I don't recall anything after that until more than a day later. Her unexpected cardiac arrest, in which the heart stops beating after irregularly beating, causes her to pass out. Usually, the condition is deadly. Meyers was traveling home to the Bay area at the same time as May on the same airplane. Meyers noticed a gathering collected around May's slumped figure as she approached the gate and heard people saying, "Ma'am, ma'am, are you OK?" Meyers gave the woman to the onlookers.

Chris Solomon was a little under the weather as he started his morning shift as a dispatcher with Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Thankfully, his coworkers were present to assess him, conduct a 12-lead ECG, and diagnose his STEMI as soon as he started experiencing chest pain. The entire video is a must-watch, but pays close attention to what happens right before and after his cardiac arrest. You'll see that Chris experiences a V-fib cardiac arrest at precisely 2:18 in the video. He just sort of nods off; there is no great display.

You can also hear agonal respirations if you listen carefully. You'll see that he starts posturing and acting in ways that we typically connect with seizures as soon as the crew lowers him to the ground. Chris is in cardiac arrest, despite the fact that his arms are still moving as CPR is administered; the doctors didn't hesitate. He maintains his posture and agonal respirations during the first and second defibrillations. As we can see, if high-quality CPR is initiated as soon as possible after a sudden cardiac arrest, it is not unusual for the patient to be breathing and moving around with their eyes open.Giving CPR to someone who appears to be staring at you is uncomfortable, but it does occur and indicates that proper CPR is being given. Even though it completely catches them off surprise in their own dispatch station, this is an amazing saving, and these providers set a high standard for conducting a resuscitation.

Tyler

Tyler Symes, 15, was playing hockey when he was struck by a puck and nearly lost his life. He was fortunate to be saved by an AED at the rink's edge and a trainer who knew how to use it.

When Tyler was only 4 years old, he first took up hockey. He was the kind of athlete Paul Agnese cherished working with.

According to Agnese, who spoke to CBS News, "Even though he's small, he plays like he's 200 pounds."

However, a terrible accident in December of last year terminated Tyler's season and almost cost him his life. Tyler was questioned about his memories of the game.

I don't really recall even going to the rink or anything, he retorted.

When Tyler's coach and athletic trainer sprinted onto the ice with 37 seconds remaining in the first quarter,In the exact fraction of a second between heartbeats, Tyler had been struck in the chest by a hockey puck, resulting in commotio cordis, a condition that leads to cardiac arrest. Like Tyler's injury, 75% of injuries result in death.

But fortunately, Jody Whyte, the trainer, had the ideal supplies in her medical bag.

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