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Home Defibrillators Can Save Lives
August 16, 2004
If you watch medical dramas on TV, the chances are good that you
have seen a crisis like this: A patient goes into cardiac arrest,
someone yells “code blue” and doctors come rushing with
a crash cart and defibrillator. Someone applies paddles to the patient’s
chest, shouts “clear” and jolts the patient with electricity.
The patient arches off the table and, with luck, is brought back
from the brink of death.
Until fairly recently such high-tech emergency rescues were limited
to hospitals, big clinics and ambulances. That’s because a
medical team was needed to diagnose the heart rhythm abnormality
and use the sophisticated equipment. Defibrillators were cumbersome
and expensive.
All that has changed. In the past several years, defibrillators
have been installed in public areas such as schools, police stations,
health clubs and airports. The people using a defibrillator to restore
normal heart rhythm in places like these usually have had no medical
training.
Nonetheless, the results are excellent, with more than half of
the victims surviving at least a year with good brain function.
Traditional CPR, which requires training, results in a much lower
rate of survival, around 5 percent.
Since 2003, patients at high risk have been able to ask their doctors
to prescribe a home defibrillator. “HeartStart” is made
by Philips Electronics and costs about $2,000. It is the size of
a textbook and is designed so that almost anyone can use it.
People can read or listen to simple instructions that tell them
how to place the paddles on the victim’s chest. If the machine
detects a normal heart rhythm, it will not shock the patient. If
it detects a life-threatening arrhythmia, on the other hand, it
jolts the heart in an attempt to restore normal rhythm.
Now Philips would like to be allowed to sell HeartStart without
a prescription. This is just the latest and most sophisticated step
in medical device marketing. Years ago anyone with high blood pressure
had to see the doctor or nurse to have it measured with a complicated
sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. Now home blood pressure monitors
are easy to use, digital and affordable.
Diabetics are encouraged to check blood sugar at home with devices
that are no bigger than a pack of cards. Pregnancy tests that used
to take days through the doctor’s office can now be used at
home and are more reliable than the old “rabbit tests.”
People who are susceptible to life-threatening allergic reactions
may keep epinephrine on hand in a self-injectable “EpiPen”
for emergency use. Biochemistry and modern electronics have allowed
amazing advances in diagnostic and therapeutic devices. Home defibrillators
are just the latest advance in this process.
When someone goes into cardiac arrest, every second counts. The
longer the heart cannot pump blood, the greater the likelihood of
lasting damage or death. As valuable as defibrillators can be to
restore normal rhythm and get the heart going again, the first step
in any cardiac emergency is to call 911. But while the first responders
are on their way, family and friends can use a home defibrillator
to buy precious minutes that could mean the difference between life
and death.
* * * Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate
in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated
radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and
Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care
of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.org.
© 2004 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Source: www.healthcentral.com
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