4 Reasons Why You Should Purchase a Defibrillator

It’s February which means that retailers will be branded with hearts and shelves will be piled high with chocolates, foil balloons and bouquets. Love is officially in the air.

Valentine’s Day brings matters of the heart to our attention as we show our significant other how much they mean to us.  But did you know that it’s National Heart Month too?

For us, this month is not just about showering our loved ones with gifts, we also want to highlight the need for public access defibrillators - not only do they mend broken hearts but they save lives too.

Defibrillators are pieces of equipment used to treat victims of sudden cardiac arrest. When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest their heart goes into an unnatural rhythm triggered by an electrical disturbance in its makeup. When the defibrillator analyzes the patient and detects these irregular heart rhythms (also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation) it administers a shock that allows the heart rhythm to reset itself to normal.

For some individuals, operating this device is a very daunting prospect; however without the assistance of public access defibrillators casualties experiencing cardiac arrest outside of the hospital would have a very slim chance of survival.

Here are 4 reasons why we believe that defibrillators are a vital piece of equipment that should be as readily available as fire extinguishers:

No matter your age or fitness level cardiac arrest can happen to anyone

Take pop sensation Ellie Goulding as an example; she regularly posts pictures on Instagram of intense workout sessions. However, at the age of just 29, she has been advised to cut down on her strict exercise regime due to a heart defect, a difficult task for someone in the public eye trying to maintain a sleek physique. 

Heart defects often go undetected until a medical emergency. There have been numerous occasions when a child has become critically ill during a P.E lesson and early defibrillation has saved their life. This is why public access defibrillators are so highly valued.

For every minute after someone suffers a cardiac arrest, they lose 10% of their survival chances

Having a defibrillator on a wall mount in your office increases its visibility and ensures that it is easily accessible, that way if someone experiences cardiac arrest the device can be retrieved swiftly. The sooner the patient receives treatment the better their chances of making a full recovery.

We cannot always rely on paramedics to arrive swiftly

For matters beyond their control, the emergency services cannot always reach us in their targeted time of 8 minutes. Therefore, the onus is placed on bystanders to take action. With the help of a defibrillator, untrained individuals can resuscitate a casualty with ease, thanks to the user-friendly features of the device.

Defibrillators aren’t as intimidating as you might think

Many people are put off purchasing a defibrillator because they wouldn’t have the confidence to use the equipment in an emergency. Rest assured defibrillators are actually more straightforward than figuring out how to work a new mobile phone.

Voice prompts talk you through the process from the word go - all you have to do is switch on the device and await further instructions. But that’s not all, defibrillators are built with user-friendliness in mind and many of them also feature bold illustrations, flashing LED lights and large buttons to simplify the process even further.

If you still feel that you wouldn’t have the confidence to use a defibrillator, sign up for an AED course. Our CPR & AED course not only  teaches the fundamentals of the defibrillation process, but we also provide training using the same make and model as your device, fully preparing you for a critical emergency.

Our sister site imperative supplies have a vast range of defibrillators available for purchase. To discover more contact our customer service team on 0845 071 0820.