Health and Fitness

Having a heart-healthy policy may mean more than just serving oat-bran cereal as a breakfast option and providing an exercise facility. Most organizations - including schools, companies, hospitals, and non-profits - are becoming more aware of the risk of emergency heart failure on their grounds and the growing need to protect patrons and limit liability.

The Risk

Over 350,000 people die annually in the U.S. from sudden cardiac arrest, which occurs when a rapid alteration in heartbeat causes the body's largest muscle to quiver, spasm, or even stop beating. The most common form of cardiac arrest occurs when the heart begins to quiver in the chest, a condition called ventricular fibrillation. The large majority of cardiac arrests don't occur in a hospital, and 6 in 10 patients never make it to the emergency room. The survival rate falls by 10 percent for every minute the heart is not pumping blood. At that rate, it's only a matter of minutes before almost all sudden cardiac arrest patients are lost.

According to Dr. Vincent Buffalino, CEO of Midwest Heart Specialists in Naperville, "Within 10 minutes, we lose almost everybody." He goes on to explain the urgency of immediate medical response. "We're not kidding when we say time is everything. And the thing is, cardiac arrest is, in most cases, a preventable death. We know how to do it."

An Answer

While ten minutes doesn't leave much time for medical assistance, it may just be sufficient time to save many sudden cardiac sufferers with a single medical device called an AED, assuming, of course, that it's available at the location of the accident.

An simple electric shock is usually enough to reset a normal heartbeat, and when it's delivered quickly - ideally within the three minutes of collapse - the survival rates are almost 75%, according to one study. If the electric stimulation isn't available, survival rates fall between 5 and 8 percent.

An automated external defibrillator, or AED device, is a technologically advanced, portable lifesaving device that accesses the condition of a patients' heartbeat and delivers an electric shock to restart a heartbeat or correct an irregular rhythm. The device is small - it can be held in one hand - and has become an important medical tool due to its ability to treat sudden cardiac arrest on location.

AED machines can be used by trained non-medical personnel to treat a person in cardiac arrest and actually guides the operator with audio or visual prompts so the user doesn't have to make any medical decisions
A Widespread Need

According to the American Heart Association, at least 20,000 lives each year could be saved from sudden cardiac arrest by immediate installation of AED's, and that number increases to as many as 50,000 with widespread adoption of AED's yielded by trained responders.

Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports were two notable public locations that made AED's available in 1999, and to date more than 60 percent of sudden cardiac arrest patients have been saved. That number looks pretty good considering that the national average hovers around 5 percent and the airports policy has demonstrated that AED availability can be effective in saving lives.

In light of such success, AED's would seem like a probable purchase for all kinds of organizations, from schools to small businesses, but one downside some institutions may fear is that implementing an automated external defibrillator (AED) program could increase their liability. While a culture of sue-happy citizens is to likely blame for such legal anxiety, it is a consideration that weighs potential corporate loss against saved lives. In fact, with growing public recognition of the value and availability of AED's, not making AED devices available could be the basis for a lawsuit.

If an attorney can demonstrate a reasonable expectation that a business should have provided an AED and failed to do so, may find themselves the recipient of expensive legal fees. There have already been several recent cases where companies were ruled liable for not providing an AED on site during an emergency.

Required by Law

Some states have even adopted defibrillator laws making AED's required in school, churches, hospitals, and other civic organizations. In the past decade legislators have become actively involved in this issue, pushing for laws that encourage broader availability instead of regulatory restrictions.

The legislation is aimed not only at increasing the public availability of AED's during emergencies, but also at removing liability fears with a "Good Samaritan" provision that states any person who renders emergency assistance with an automatic external defibrillator to save another's life during sudden cardiac arrest will be exempt from liability.

Florida was the first state to enact broad public AED access laws in 1997 and all fifty states have followed suit, enacting defibrillator laws or regulations. Arizona, for example, enacted a measure requiring all state buildings constructed for a more than $250,000 to provide automated external defibrillators.

Cost

Fortunately, the cost for an AED machine is relatively low - especially considering the service it performs - and a quality solution can be obtained for under $1500 from numerous sources. Many medical supply companies provide package pricing for a variety of organization, from schools to health clubs to airports and sports arenas, with affordable equipment and training solutions.

At HeartSafe America, Inc. ( www.aed-shop.com ), for example, offers the Phillips HeartStart Onsite AED Business Package for $1299, an excellent price for a quality package.

With a climate of awareness growing and the cost of provision coming down, it is likely that those suffering sudden cardiac arrest will stand a better chance of survival in the next decade than others did in the previous one.

Chris Pickering, Ecommerce, Business, and Health Blogger