AED 01

One of the most successful Chapter 127 programs is that of raising funds through chapter activities and events to provide automated external defibrillators (AED's) throughout the Cookeville, Putnam County, and Upper Cumberland area.

Annually, nearly 1/4 million Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest. What is cardiac arrest? Cardiac arrest is the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function.The victim may or may not have diagnosed heart disease. It's also called sudden cardiac arrest or unexpected cardiac arrest. Sudden death (also called sudden cardiac death) occurs within minutes after symptoms appear. Quick action is essential in treating cardiac arrests because they may cause brain and heart damage. For each minute following a cardiac arrest, the probability of survival decreases from 7 to 10 percent. After 10 minutes, resuscitation is doubtful. This means immediate treatment is needed to restart the heart in order to survive. The best treatment for restarting the heart is defibrillation, a series of electrical shocks applied to the heart.

What exactly is an AED? An AED is an automated, computerized medical device that is capable of checking a person's heart rhythm and, when necessary, providing an appropriate shock that may "reset" the heart to an acceptable, normal rhythm.

It has been proven that if a person has some form of heart attack where an AED and a knowledgeable person is available to administer a mild shock to re-establish a normal heart rhythm and circulation, that chances of survival are increased significantly (many times up to 80%).