AEDs in Schools Prove Effective

Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
Messages
7,667
Reaction score
11
Points
0
AEDs in Schools Prove Effective
Full Article: http://www.medpagetoday.com/EmergencyMedicine/EmergencyMedicine/15279
LITTLE FALLS, N.J., July 28 -- The majority of individuals who had a cardiac arrest in a high school survived to hospital discharge if an automated external defibrillator (AED) was on site, researchers found.

In a survey of high schools that had an AED program and had had a cardiac arrest within the preceding six months, 64% of cases -- students and nonstudents alike -- survived to hospital discharge, according to Jonathan Drezner, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues.


Most of the schools (83.5%) had an emergency action plan in place for responding to sudden cardiac arrest, the researchers reported online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.


"Essential elements of emergency planning for sudden cardiac arrest include training anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, establishing an effective communication system, ensuring access to early defibrillation, coordinating and integrating on-site responder and AED programs with the local EMS system, and practicing and reviewing the response plan," they said.
Click to expand...
 
That's awesome. I really think a big part of it is not just having the AED, but also having an effective emergency plan. When I've had to use the classroom phone to call for a medical emergency, everyone assumes a well rehearsed role. They practice monthly, in addition to the real emergencies we have on campus.
 
Wow 64%? Isn't the rate averaging around 12% nationwide? Also, might it have to do with the youth of the patients who have a better chance of making a full recovery?
 
WuLabsWuTecH said:
Wow 64%? Isn't the rate averaging around 12% nationwide? Also, might it have to do with the youth of the patients who have a better chance of making a full recovery?
Click to expand...

Kids die quicker than adults. Youthfulness does not equate to an easy and speedy recovery. Actually, the older people survive cardiac arrest a lot better then children.
 
Sasha said:
Kids die quicker than adults. Youthfulness does not equate to an easy and speedy recovery. Actually, the older people survive cardiac arrest a lot better then children.
Click to expand...

Most children have cardiac arrest secondary to respiratory issues, unless they have some underlying heart problem. I am glad that this is being done. We have some at the mall that I have seen. Although I think it might take a layperson some time to read the directions. Hopefully most can use the AED when it is needed and quickly.
 
Most children have cardiac arrest secondary to respiratory issues, unless they have some underlying heart problem.
Click to expand...

Yes, and?

Once they code, their cells die quicker than an adults with a slower metabolism.
 
Sasha said:
Yes, and?
Click to expand...

I think his point was it's usually easier to fix a respiratory issue with a healthy heart, then trying to jumpstart an unhealthy heart, which is why there is such a high survival rate...
 
Linuss said:
I think his point was it's usually easier to fix a respiratory issue with a healthy heart, then trying to jumpstart an unhealthy heart, which is why there is such a high survival rate...
Click to expand...

I don't think it would be easier... when a child's codes all their compensation mechanisms are spent, they've got nothing left to give for that jumpstart. But eh, I have never had a child code.
 
I've never had a code :P



But have always been taught that if a child's code is respiratory in nature, it's easier to get ROSC, because it's still a healthy heart.
 
I can still hear you whippersnappers!

The unknown factor: how many cases were unnecessary override defibs and CPR? Young healthy bodies also recolver from excessive resuscitation better than us geezers.
 
mycrofft said:
The unknown factor: how many cases were unnecessary override defibs and CPR? Young healthy bodies also recolver from excessive resuscitation better than us geezers.
Click to expand...

While Peds may recover better when they are saved quickly.....we still lose them at a higher percentage compared to adults. Nationally this isn't so great since the adult outcomes are under 5%. Some lucky areas are a bit higher but, the National average is only about 3% last I read from the AMA. Hypoxic brain/tissue damage, end organ failure, birth defects and a host of other complications make Peds a higher risk.

PS: I know of a very lucky 14 year old arrest (May 09) here who is looking forward to a bright future thanks 100% to a quick acting bystander. The bystander started CPR and got 911 on the way. He was returned to spontaneous circulation by a single shock from FD, several minutes into the arrest. DX...carotid transposition. Ghads! CPR alone and quick action is the reason this boy is home and doing well today. Had 911 been called but no CPR...the outcome would have been completely different. First responders are amazing. We need more of them.
 
My High School has three AED's all throughout the school, and all staff and faculty are trained in CPR/AED.

Also at my grade school, there was a kid in the year before who came in around 6th grade. He had a bad heart disease, and he wore a pace maker. All of his teachers had to be trained in CPR, but we couldn't afford an AED. The school was less thasn a minute from the Fire station, the same one I live next door too coincidentally.
 
We had an AED in my highschool. It was in a locked cabinet, inside a locked room, inside the locked gym. The perfect place for an AED.
 
I'm glad that AEDs are finally becoming as prevalent as the are. For a long time the cost prohibited many facilities that needed them from getting one, even places like public swimming pools and gyms where there are higher incidence of codes. Just within the last month there were two successful conversions at a public pool in the city where I live, a pool where I used to work as a lifeguard and the AEDs had only been purchased within the year.
 
I'm sorry, can you remind me what a carotid transposition is and how we treat it?
 
I think this is a good video example of exactly why AED's are important in public places, and I am not just saying that because the end of the video says so, I full heartedly believe it.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52RJWyjogY0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eyoutube%2Ecom%2Fuser%2Fbokabeed&feature=player_profilepage[/YOUTUBE]

I have been lucky enough not to have had to use the AED at the pool where I work, but the danger is always there, and it is very comforting to know it is there.
 
Any place where organized sports is played should have an AED due to the slight risk of Commotio Cordis.
 
Would have been nice to have had one at my niece's High School, when she arrested at age 13 of sudden unknown heart failure.
Maybe her outcome would have been different!
NZ is miles behind you with AED's been accessed in public places. But they are working on it.
I think it's a great step in the right direction!

Enjoynz
 
WuLabsWuTecH said:
I'm sorry, can you remind me what a carotid transposition is and how we treat it?
Click to expand...

I wish I knew more. What was described as a transposition sounds more like a subclavian steal like syndrome caused by an anomaly. A surgical repair to route blood in the right direction (to the brain) was required.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top