New Hampshire is credited with building one of the most advanced 9-1-1 emergency response systems in the country. Unfortunately, that system has been unable to improve response times for victims of heart attacks ? only 5-percent of whom survive. To deal with the problem, trauma professionals are urging the state to equip public places with AED's: automated external defibrillators. NHPR?s Doug MacPherson reports.
GLENN SWAIN DIRECTS THE HAMPSHIRE HILLS SPORTS AND FITNESS CLUB IN MILFORD. ONE DAY IN DECEMBER, 2000, TWO MONTHS AFTER HE HAD LEASED AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR OR A-E-D, SWAIN WAS AT HIS DESK WHEN HE RECEIVED AN URGENT MESSAGE: A 63-YEAR OLD MAN HAD COLLAPSED IN THE FITNESS CENTER. TWO OTHER MEMBERS WERE ADMINISTERING C-P-R.
TAPE SWAIN Two of my staff people went in to assist while I ran up front to get the a-e-d and bring it back. And when we arrived with the a-e-d we stopped c-p-r, placed the uh ? it?s very simple to do ? place the pads on his chest, they tell you exactly where to place the pads. :17
AT THAT POINT, THE A-E-D, A UNIT ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OF A BRIEF CASE, TOOK OVER.
TAPE AED plug in pads connector, next to flashing light. Analyzing heart rhythm. Do not touch the victim. :09
AN A-E-D USES A COMPUTER MICRO-CHIP TO DETERMINE EXACTLY HOW MUCH OF A SHOCK TO ADMINISTER, IF A SHOCK IS NEEDED AT ALL. IN THIS CASE, ONE WAS.
TAPE AED Shock advised. Charging. Deliver shock now. Press the orange button. Shock delivered. :09
TAPE SWAIN he came back, you could see in his face that he was breathing normally and he was doing ok. This lasted for approximately a minute, and then he appeared to crash again. And again, the machine picks it up, and tells you that a shock is advised, and you clear them, we shocked him a second time. And the second time he was shocked it really did the job and he came around and everything was stable. :27
TAPE AED Analyzing heart rhythm. No shock advised. It is safe to touch the patient. :06
TAPE SWAIN Basically that machine saved this gentleman?s life. Without the machine, it would have taken seven minutes for the ambulance to get here. And that would have been too late for him. :08
CHUCK HEMEON AGREES. HEMEON HAS BEEN A PARAMEDIC FOR 20-YEARS. THESE DAYS, HE TALKS TO CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, BUSINESS GROUPS -- ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN -- ABOUT THE VIRTUES OF A-E-D?s.
TAPE HEMEON I know as a paramedic, that if I got a call for a man down and cpr is in progress, chance of saving that patient were slim to none if there wasn?t and a-e-d there. We were not successful. Because it would take 6 to 8 minutes for us to get there to provide that first shock. 95 percent of patients in this state do not survive. Because we can?t get there fast enough. :19
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS STILL BELIEVE IN C-P-R ? CARDIO-PULMONARY-RESUSCITATION. BUT SUE PRENTISS, PARAMEDIC TRAUMA COORDINATOR FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE?S DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY, SAYS THE REALITY IS ? C-P-R CANNOT RESTART AN ARRESTED HEART.
TAPE PRENTISS We know that cpr provides oxygenated blood flow to the brain, to the heart, and to other important vital organs in the body when the heart actually stops beating on its own. It?s important. But equally as important if not emerging as being more important is having the ability to electrically jump start someone?s heart as early as possible. :24
IN RURAL AREAS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, IT MAKE TAKE 20-MINUTES FOR AN AMBULANCE TO REACH A HEART ATTACK VICTIM. BRAIN DAMAGE CAN OCCUR WITHIN SIX MINUTES. AS CHUCK HEMEON NOTES, EVEN WITH
C-P-R, WITH EVERY MINUTE OF DELAY, SURVIVAL RATE DROPS 10-PERCENT. AFTER 10-MINUTES, BRAIN DAMAGE MAY BE SO EXTENSIVE THAT A VICTIM WOULDN?T WANT TO BE REVIVED.
TAPE HEMEON We?re dealing with people who are clinically dead. And we want to stop this ventricular fibrillation. What this defibrillator does, is it stops. Its shuts off the heart for a milli-second, and allows the heart?s natural pacemakers to regain control. :12
CONCORD HOSPITAL HAS RECENTLY RAISED FUNDS TO PURCHASE
40-A-E-D?S, TO BE INSTALLED IN VISIBLE, PUBLIC PLACES, SUCH AS THEATRES, MEETING AREAS, AND CHURCHES ? ANYWHERE WHERE PEOPLE MAY CONGREGATE. THE COST OF A UNIT IS ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND DROPPING RAPIDLY.
STATE SENATOR NED GORDON OF BRISTOL IS SPONSORING LEGISLATION TO CREATE A STATE REGISTRY OF A-E-D?s.
TAPE NED GORDON There are matching grants available through the federal government to encourage people, particularly in rural areas, to acquire these defibrillators. Those matching grants are only available in states that have a central registry. A central registry is critical because we want to know where these machines are in the event that someone calls 911, they have an emergency situation. It?s important that that dispatcher, that person on the other end, know that there may be a defibrillator available in the building. :30
SUPPORTERS OF A-E-D?S SAY VIRTUALLY ANYONE CAN USE THEM. ONE MANUFACTURER JOKES THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD HURT A VICTIM WITH AN A-E-D IS IF YOU USED IT TO HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD.
SOME MEDICAL AUTHORITIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE HOPING THE SIGHT OF AN A-E-D?S WILL SOON BE AS UBIQUITOUS AS A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I?M DOUG MACPHERSON.
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