| Imagine yourself walking hurriedly along the | | | | shout "clear!." Of course those things |
| crowded airport, trying to catch your flight | | | | cannot be found outside the hospital or the |
| to New Jersey. Suddenly, a man in front of | | | | ambulance and you'd be intimidated to touch |
| you faints and falls heavily on the floor. | | | | it, let alone use it.This is where portable |
| He just had a cardiac arrest. As people all | | | | defibrillators come in use. Immediate aid |
| around start to rush calling for the | | | | for cardiac arrest victims is now within |
| ambulance, you and other people try to | | | | reach because of its easy-to-carry packaging |
| perform CPR to no avail. Precious minutes | | | | and its more automated technology. There is |
| pass by quickly, and you soon realize that if | | | | no need for complex buttons to press, and it |
| the paramedics doesn't get to the man on | | | | has instructions that are easy to follow, |
| time, he's dead.*Cardiac arrest* is one of | | | | making just about anyone capable of using it |
| the leading causes of death in America today. | | | | to help save lives.Portable defibrillators |
| It occurs swiftly and silently, leaving | | | | should be placed in public areas like malls, |
| behind a high mortality rate where only 5% | | | | airports, theme parks, hotels, offices, and |
| survive. And despite the best trained | | | | schools. It should also be strategically |
| emergency responders like firemen and | | | | located along fire extinguishers or public |
| paramedics rushing as fast as they can, the | | | | pay phones for easy access. Because four out |
| unfortunate reality is that most of its | | | | of five cardiac arrest occurs at homes, it is |
| victims die before reaching the hospital or | | | | also advisable to keep a portable |
| while they wait for the ambulance. That is | | | | defibrillator handy to be used in emergency |
| often the case in cities that have traffic | | | | cases. Explaining to your kids when and how |
| jams like New York.When someone has a cardiac | | | | to use it can spell the difference between |
| arrest, the disorganization of the heart's | | | | the life and death of one of your family |
| pumping rhythm causes it to be unable to | | | | members.In 2003, it was found that the use of |
| contract properly and makes an abrupt | | | | these portable defibrillators by volunteers |
| interruption of blood circulation. This | | | | in public areas gave a significant increase |
| results to oxygen deprivation to the brain, | | | | to the rate of cardiac arrest victims |
| unconsciousness, and inability to breathe. | | | | surviving compared to those who only received |
| Within 3 to 4 minutes, the victim's brain is | | | | CPR. The said study was funded primarily by |
| likely to be damaged. For this reason, it is | | | | the National Institutes of Health Heart, |
| very important that emergency medical | | | | Lung, and Blood Institute with the American |
| treatment is given immediately in order to | | | | Heart Association. In Milwaukee, where about |
| resolve the condition. The most common | | | | 1,000 people joined a training program for |
| first-aid treatment for cardiac arrest is the | | | | the proper use of the portable defibrillator, |
| cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR, and | | | | it was reported that the state already had a |
| defibrillation.Defibrillation helps revive | | | | cardiac arrest survival rate of 9%.Soon, |
| the heart by sending rapid jolts of energy to | | | | portable defibrillators will be a common |
| shock the heart back into its rhythm. A | | | | sight in public areas. People will be more |
| cardiac arrest victim's chances of survival | | | | familiar on its importance, and almost |
| goes up by 10% with after every minute of its | | | | everyone will know how to use it properly. |
| use. We are familiar with how they are used | | | | So the next time you find yourself in the |
| as we see them frequently in hospitals, | | | | mall or in the airport, keep a vigilant eye |
| ambulances, and on television shows like | | | | on all emergency areas for that small glass |
| Rescue 911 and hospital dramas like Grey's | | | | case that contains a portable defibrillator. |
| Anatomy and ER. But we know that it's very | | | | Knowing where one can be found is very |
| heavy, and we need to be sufficiently trained | | | | important in case an emergency occurs. Who |
| to use it, like the doctors who mutter barely | | | | knows, the next life that could be saved |
| coherent instructions on its voltage and then | | | | might just be yours. |