AED – Does your business have one?

Have you been thinking about buying an AED for your workplace?

At Safe Hearts Training, we want to help save lives by delivering the highest possible standards of training and by providing individuals, businesses and communities with the life-saving equipment they need when an emergency arises.

An AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) is a heart restarter device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart when someone is in cardiac arrest.

This type of high energy shock is called defibrillation, and it’s a vital step in the chain of survival.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths in the UK and worldwide. According to statistics Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) accounts for more than 30,000 deaths each year, most of which happen outside of a hospital environment and the chance of survival is less than 10% without treatment.

What Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is an electrical disturbance in the heart that prevents it from beating properly, this is different from a heart attack.

A heart attack occurs when there is some form of blockage in the heart reducing the blood flow to the heart muscle and tissue causing a rapid and irregular pulse rate and pain in the centre of the chest: whereas Sudden Cardiac Arrest is when the heart suddenly stops, and the ventricles flutter in a quivering manner, rather than beating in a normal fashion. Blood flow to the brain is reduced to the point that the person loses consciousness and collapses.

Unless emergency treatment is provided immediately with effective CPR and Early Defibrillation death usually follows. 

If you come across someone who is not breathing they may have suffered a cardiac arrest, it’s vital to call 999, start CPR and use a defibrillator to give the best chance of surviving.

Who is at risk?

Anyone, there are no warning signs associated with SCA. It often affects those who have experienced previous episodes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, heart attacks, or heart failure but can also occur in people who have underlying conditions or undiagnosed heart problems. But it can also strike someone with absolutely no history of heart problems.

Are AEDs Safe to Use?

Yes, AEDs are safe to use by anyone trained or untrained. Studies have shown that 95 percent of the time when an AED can detect a shockable rhythm and a shock was administered within the first few minutes after collapse a life was saved.

To put it very clearly – AEDs save countless lives every day.

For a FREE AED Risk Assessment and Consultation contact Sherry Diaz-Thompson on 01785 532 219 or you can email us at s.thompson@safeheartstraining.co.uk.

Our aim is to provide you and your staff with the necessary peace of mind, skills, knowledge and confidence by offering a complete solution – flexible payment arrangements, ongoing training and support and first-class equipment from world-leading manufacturers.