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Defibrillator FAQ's

1. How do defibrillators work?

Defibrillators are used when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest. They work by scanning the heart to determine whether a shock needs delivering which means they are designed to stop the heart beating, in order for it to begin beating on its own again, at it’s natural pace. Placing electrode pads on the chest, a defibrillator cleverly carries out tests to determine what steps to follow next such as whether to deliver a shock or not. If you have a semi-automatic defibrillator, it will alert you to press a button to deliver a shock where as if you have an automatic defibrillator, it will deliver the shock for you.

2. What is a defibrillator?

An automatic external defibrillator (AED) is a medical device than can be used by anyone to help someone who is suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. They can be found in a range of environments including schools, supermarkets, sport facilities and offices. A defibrillator works by scanning the heart’s rhythm to determine whether a shock is needed and if so, will deliver one. The aim of a defibrillator is to stop the heart from beating in order to allow it to start beating again at its natural pace. This is because when someone is suffering from a cardiac arrest, their heart goes into fibrillation meaning it beats irregularly, too fast or too slow, a defibrillator helps to rectify this.

3. What is the difference between a semi-automatic and automatic defibrillator?

An automatic and semi-automatic defibrillator both work in the same way to help a patient who is suffering from a cardiac arrest. Both deliver a shock to the heart to encourage it to start beating again on its own however, an automatic defibrillator will deliver a shock without you doing anything whereas, a semi-automatic defibrillator will alert you to press a button. An automatic and semi-automatic defibrillator are just as effective as each other, the only difference is an automatic defibrillator will deliver the shock on your behalf where as you need to press a button to deliver a shock with a semi-automatic defibrillator.

4. Are defibrillators expensive?

Defibrillators start in cost at around £950. There are many different brands available to buy with some reaching prices of over £2,500. Depending on what you need your defibrillator to do will depend on how much you are likely to spend. It’s important to remember that when you purchase a defibrillator, you should also consider where it is going to be stored as you may need to get a defibrillator case or cabinet as well as additional electrode pads. Once you have purchased your defibrillator however, costs to run it are minimal.

There are many ways that you can fund purchasing a defibrillator in order to make the cost less impactive. You can look into government funding if you need a public access defibrillator (PAD) as the government work with charities such as the British Heart Foundation to ensure they are more easily accessible in local towns and villages across the country. Equally, you can do your own fundraising in your community, school or work to help cover some of the costs.

5. How do you use a defibrillator?

The great thing about defibrillators is that they are designed to be used by anybody. Specifically manufactured with ease of use in mind, defibrillators have been developed over the years to be as straightforward to use as possible. You do not need any medical training to use a defibrillator so, if you are a passer-by and someone close by suffers a cardiac arrest, you will be able to help and quite possibly save their life. Most defibrillators have audio and visual prompts to let you know what steps to follow as well as giving real time feedback so you know what you are doing well.

The first thing to do when someone suffers a cardiac arrest is to alert the emergency services as soon as possible. From here, you should begin CPR and look for your nearest defibrillator. Once you have located a defibrillator, it is easy to follow the steps. You should place the electrode pads on the patient’s chest and then the defibrillator will determine whether a shock is needed or not.

6. What are defibrillators used for?

Defibrillators are used when a patient suffers a cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrest occurs when there is an electrical problem with the heart which then causes it to beat irregularly, too fast or too slow. Cardiac arrests are often confused with a heart attack however the two are different. A heart attack occurs when the arteries to the heart are blocked which causes somebody to experience chest pains, shortness of breath and light-heartedness. A cardiac arrest on the other hand is mostly unpredictable and can happen to anyone regardless of lifestyle, age, gender, or ethnicity. When someone is suffering from a cardiac arrest, they will lose consciousness and stop breathing – this is of course when you need to act fast.

7. Can you hurt someone using a defibrillator?

You cannot cause harm to somebody by using a defibrillator. They scan the heart to determine whether a shock needs to be delivered and will only do so if necessary. It isn’t possible to deliver a shock if the body does not need it meaning, you don’t need to worry that you will harm somebody – defibrillators are simply designed to save lives.

8. Where can I find a defibrillator?

Defibrillators are located in many areas across the country. There are an estimated 10,000 defibrillators in the UK which you can find on a map thanks to a database that allows you to record where your defibrillator is. The most common places for defibrillators to be found are schools, supermarkets, offices, warehouses, sports facilities and local towns or villages. It’s good practice to make note of where you nearest defibrillators are kept such as near your home, at work or your local supermarket. This way, if you are ever in an emergency, you know how to easily locate the closest defibrillator.

9. How effective are defibrillators?

If used within the first minute of someone falling ill, a defibrillator can increase survival rates by as high as 90%. Every minute after this sees the survival rate reduce however, if a defibrillator is not used when a patient suffers a cardiac arrest, the chances are survival are unfortunately very slim. Using a defibrillator is always your safest bet.
 
10. Do I need training to use a defibrillator?

You don’t need any training to use a defibrillator thanks to their easy to use design. Scientists continuously work to develop easy to use defibrillators so that anyone can use one when needed. Whether you’re a medical professional or have never picked a defibrillator up before, you will still be able to use one to save a life. If you are with someone that is suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest, you must call the emergency services as soon as possible, begin CPR and locate your nearest defibrillator.

Once you have a defibrillator to hand, it is really easy to follow the steps. Most defibrillators have audio and visual prompts which highlight what you need to do in the most simple form. Defibrillators can even tell you how well you are performing CPR and can automatically adjust audio levels meaning it knows to give louder prompts when in a noisy environment.

The defibrillator will also have a visual guide which outlines the steps you need to take in order to use it correctly. This involves placing electrode pads on the patients chest in order for the defibrillator to scan the heart.

It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you have used a defibrillator or not, you should still do so. Waiting for the emergency services to arrive will more than likely mean it is too late.