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Each year it is estimated that as many as 450,000 Americans suffer from sudden cardiac arrest and that 90-95 percent of people suffering SCA will die. In many of these cases, electrical shocks delivered to the heart within four minutes of the onset of abnormal heart function produce as high as a 70 percent chance of survival.
Unfortunately, after ten minutes without treatment, the survival rate for someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest drops to only 2 percent. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur during a heart attack, electrocution or asphyxiation, caused by inadequate oxygen in the work environment, such as in a confined space.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a small device that can help save the life of somebody in sudden cardiac arrest. It is often no bigger or heavier than the average laptop computer, and delivers a small but powerful shock that may be able to reset the heart rhythm of somebody hi cardiac arrest. Once the adhesive pads are placed on the victim, the AED can monitor the person's heart rhythm, determine if they are in need of a shock, and instruct the user to administer a shock or CPR accordingly. A conveniently located AED...