The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District has purchased more than 75 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) for use in each of the fire department's first response basic life support vehicles, including engine companies and truck companies. The new AEDs replaced older equipment and expanded the number of AEDs on Fire Department vehicles from five (5) to over seventy (70).

After an extensive evaluation period, Sacramento Metro Fire District chose the Physio-Control Life Pak 12 Defibrillator from Redmond, Washington -based Medtronic Corporation for it's ease of use, minimal maintenance, data management capability and proven energy delivery protocol.

Sacramento Metro Fire District is currently conducting an AED study. To date there have been several AED patient contacts. The results of the AED study will be published as the study is completed.

Why is Early Defibrillation Important?

In many cases, SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest) can be reversed with early defibrillation-the use of a defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal rhythm by means of an electric current. To be most effective, defibrillation must occur as soon as possible after the onset of SCA.

· Published studies have proven that early defibrillation, within the first few minutes of SCA, can save up to 30% of victims.
· According to AHA, each minute of delay in delivering a defibrillation shock to a cardiac arrest victim reduces the chances of survival by 10%.
· The average response time nationally for emergency medical personnel equipped with defibrillators is 10 minutes, making access to defibrillators on-site or in first responder vehicles ( Fire Engines) extremely important. Sacramento Metro Fire has an average response time of 5 minutes 6 seconds.
· Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) works to temporarily circulate blood to vital organs. However, CPR alone rarely restores a patient's heart to a healthy rhythm.
· The AHA states that the definitive survival treatment for an SCA victim is a defibrillation shock.

The most common warning signals of a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association:

· Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes.
· Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
· Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath

Less common warning signs of heart attack include:
· Atypical chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain
· Nausea or dizziness
· Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
· Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
· Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness

While there are many contributing factors, SCA can strike people at any time; whether or not they have a diagnosed heart condition. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), factors contributing to SCA include:

· Pre-diagnosed heart disease
· Degeneration of the heart muscle
· Enlargement of the heart due to high blood pressure
· Hardening of the arteries
· Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Death from SCA is sudden and unexpected, occurring instantly or shortly after the onset of symptoms.

In the Unites States, more than 350,000 people die annually from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) before reaching a hospital. This death toll is equivalent to more than 1,000 people each day, or the population of a mid-sized city, like Minneapolis, Honolulu, or Fresno.

In fact, SCA is far more common than any other cause of death, as this chart indicates.



Causes and Effects of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The most common cause of SCA is ventricular fibrillation - a lethal arrhythmia characterized by rapid, chaotic contractions of the heart. While in ventricular fibrillation, the heart is unable to pump life-sustaining oxygenated blood to vital parts of the body, particularly the brain.

Link: www.americanheart.org
Link: www.cnn.com/health