Every Second Counts
The clock's ticking. In just ten years, heart disease will take over the top spot as the world's biggest global killer. Cardiovascular diseases already contribute to more than a third of all global deaths. It's well documented that the faster you respond to a heart attack, the better your chance of saving a life. In a race against time, access to essential life-saving equipment should be an issue close to every occupational health professional's heart.
Over the last 12 months medical equipment manufacturers have responded well with a new range of lower cost resuscitation solutions, making defibrillation and monitoring equipment more affordable and more available. Latest in line is Cardiac Systems' new Powerheart AED G3 Pro, launched at just £2,100 in June this year. Significant investment in production technology has had a direct impact on production costs, but Managing Director Stuart Hilldage also cites increased demand for defibrillators in the work environment as a key reason for manufacturing more cost effectively.
More choice is usually great for the consumer but it does create complications in deciding which product to buy, especially in such a crucial application area. Is the equipment up to the job? Some devices for internal office environments may have low water resistance, potentially risky if used out-of-doors, in the wet. medekit supplies around 60 different items related to defibrillation and ECG monitoring all of which are selected for their suitability in remote environments. If you're choosing from these, then skill levels and target environment are key factors when deciding what to buy.
Where there is little or no life-saving experience, it's essential to have a reliable product that takes over the decision-making, one that can be used simply and intuitively in an emergency situation. The Powerheart AED G3 provides this level of security, administering a shock only when it diagnoses a need in the patient. It uses clear loud voice prompts, and volume is important if the environment is noisy. Normally priced from just £1,595, but currently on offer at £1,395, the standard box has a simple one-button operation, but a new fully automatic version, launched this June, removes the need even for that.
Explains Stuart Hilldidge, "If you have no experience, then even one button can be a psychological barrier. Full automation removes any obstacle or concerns a user might have should a patient fail to achieve the best outcome."
At just 3.1 kg, the Powerheart AED G3 is ideal for both static and mobile use. Equally portable is the new Powerheart AED G3 Pro, which also has continuous cardiac monitoring. Equipped with a manual override, this is a machine for anyone with advanced life support skills, who can read and interpret an ECG and is sufficiently competent to make their own diagnostic decisions. It's also tough on-the-hoof, effective and reliable in outdoor settings.
A second option for inexperienced users is the Lifepak® 500 from Medtronic, which has just two buttons, ‘on' and ‘shock'. Designed for grab-and-go portability, the Lifepak® 500 is rugged and reliable, again with voice prompts and clear screen messages. It's priced at just under £3,200. All these products have automatic self-testing systems. Whenever needed, they are ready to go. All have rechargeable batteries. Compare warranty times on the equipment and batteries if you are expecting above average usage.
If you need to support a larger work team in a remote but established clinical environment then the Lifepak® 12 series combines defibrillation and ECG monitoring in a system that can be switched between automated and manual defibrillation, or both, depending on operator skill levels. The interpretative ECG enables long term monitoring and diagnosis. The whole system is upgradeable, accommodating new features easily and cost effectively. An alternative might be to combine a smaller portable defibrillator with a separate portable monitor such as the SECA CTR300i. This is an interpretive multi channel ECG machine with a one-touch automatic button. At just £1,250 it's a flexible solution, and particularly appropriate where space is an issue, onboard ship or offshore oil rig.
Finally, for a small remote project with a low likelihood of cardiac incident, the Access AED pitches in as the most affordable system on the market. At just £1,295, this palm-sized resuscitation system is priced at a level where it's difficult to justify omitting defibrillation from the medical inventory, even for a small exploratory team.
It goes without saying that the best way an employer can minimise the risks of cardiac arrest is through positive health programmes. This includes physical exercise, healthy diet, smoking cessation and stress avoidance, especially for staff living and working away from home. In the meantime, this range of affordable resuscitation equipment offers a practical lifeline for a remote workforce, which statistics show will become increasingly prone to heart disease every year.