Saving lives one AED at a time.

Data seems to indicate that use of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) before emergency service personnel arrive significantly improves the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.

Overall survival to hospital discharge from 13,769 heart attacks was 7%, but increased to 9% for patients who received bystander CPR, 24% for those who had an AED applied after EMS personnel arrived, and 38% for those who received an AED shock before EMS arrival.

Many parish nurses have found local grants to purchase AEDs. The study was overseen by Myron Weisfeldt, MD, et. al. of Johns Hopkins University, and reported in the April 20, 2010 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.