Quote:
Originally Posted by MandoMan
I know of two AEDs on my block, but I consider them irrelevant. I live alone. My door is locked. I don’t know who in the neighborhood knows how to use these. They may be shopping or golfing or taking a shower when I need them. If my heart stops, I can’t even call 911. If I thought I was having a heart attack and called 911, could I get the door unlocked or would it have to be broken down? Certainly most people having a heart attack do not need defibrillating. Defibrillating someone whose heart is actually beating is not a good idea, and when you are an old person who has just run a block carrying an AED, you may not be in a position to tell if there is a pulse. It’s not always easy! And then if my heart is restarted, how long did it not beat? The majority of people whose hearts are restarted suffer some level of brain damage. Do I want that, or would I rather be dead? Success with defibrillators is often based on leaving the hospital alive or surviving thirty days, even if the person will never leave a nursing home. I’d rather die.
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Locked alone in your house means you will not survive. That's the reality of that situation.
but
What if you are visiting with neighbors, or are outside doing things like trimming flowers, or chatting with people? Maybe they would be able to call 911 and start to render aid immediately. Someone can be kept alive with CPR, and viable for a full recovery, even if their heart cannot be restarted for tens of minutes. It's about keeping the oxygen moving to the brain.
You really should learn about how AEDs work. They are computers and monitor the heart. They direct a person to do CPR better. They analyze the heart and will order people to stand clear to deliver a shock ONLY when it's REQUIRED.
If a responder cannot correctly tell if there is a pulse, the AED can. AED will say "begin CPR". Plain and simple, it's the expert tool helping people do things right.
Having someone there right away improves your chance of survival without complications. Brain injury happens when too much time passes between the heart attack, and getting blood moving again. That's 4 minutes max. Waiting for an ambulance to arrive means likely your fears will happen. I'd take the nearby volunteers with an AED every time.