Introduction to Cardiac Arrest and Manual CPR
Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly, which prevents it from pumping blood to the brain, lungs and other organs. This leads to sudden loss of consciousness and abnormal or absent breathing. Delivery of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR helps circulate oxygenated blood to the vital organs until defibrillation or other advanced life support can restore a normal heart rhythm. However, manual CPR is tiring and the quality and rate of chest compressions delivered can vary significantly between providers and over time. Hence consistent high-quality CPR is critical to maximize patient survival from cardiac arrest.
How Automated CPR Devices Work
Automated CPR Devices utilize a load-distributing band that wraps around the patient’s chest and a backboard or harness for support. The device analyzes the patient’s cardiac rhythm through attached defibrillator electrodes and provides consistent, uninterrupted chest compressions according to the latest resuscitation guidelines. The compressions are driven by an electric motor powered by batteries, allowing the rescuer to stand back and focus on other lifesaving interventions like airway management and defibrillation. Some devices can be operated with one hand and provide real-time audio and visual feedback on compression rate and depth to the user. The load-distributing band helps generate adequate chest wall recoil for improved blood flow during chest compressions compared to manual CPR.
Automated chest compression devices help deliver uninterrupted, consistent and high-quality CPR according to current resuscitation guidelines. This uniformly distributes blood flow throughout the body compared to hands-only chest compressions and minimizes interruptions to compressions which are detrimental to patient survival. The devices reduce rescuer fatigue allowing longer periods of high-performance CPR and freeing up the hands of rescuers to perform other important tasks like ventilation, intravenous access and defibrillation. Being less physically taxing, automated devices also facilitate earlier initiation of CPR and transitions of care in pre-hospital settings as well as between hospital teams. They eliminate variability and help standardize CPR quality among different rescuers. All of these factors can significantly improve survival and neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest patients.
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