That’s just strange. I mean, I’m sure some people need them at home, but wouldn’t those people be able to get a script for one? I’m not sure if I want just anyone using those, but maybe I’m a little paranoid.
It’s an alternative to the PS2 if the kids get bored, anyway.
What do you guys think?
I’m guessing that the reason you don’t need a presciption is because heart attacks and the like can occur at any time without any prioir heart condition. In addition, these AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillator) are idiot proof. You place the pads on the correct position (each pad clearly shows where it goes) and turn it on, and it does the rest. They have clear voice instrucitons telling you what to do, and telling you what it’s doing. Usually, the prompts are as follows:
“Place pads on patient.”
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“Checking Patient. Stand clear.”
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“Shock advised, charging, stand clear.”
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“Shocking patient, stand clear.”
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“Checking Patient. Stand clear.”
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“No shock advised, check for pulse. If no pulse, begin CPR.”
If no shock is initially needed, then it skips right to the 'No shock advised" statement. Granted, not all are the same, but they all follow a similar path to the above. There is almost no chance of it ever shocking someone that does not need a shock. I’m not sure how well it’s sensors are, though, and there may be chances when someone could benefit from a shock, but not get one. This is the case of fine v-fib, which can sometimes look like a-fib, and sometimes doctors and EMT’s will shock if it appears to be on the borderline between the two, whereas the AEDs, in the interest of nor harming a patient, will almost certainly not shock in that case.
That’s true – they did look rather idiot-proof. Who needs these, though? [Or maybe I should ask, who are these being marketed to?] High-risk heart patients? The average Joe or Jane?
My old defibrillator used to just shock me randomly when I totally wasn’t having a heart attack. Stupid piece of shit.
My church bought one…I had training on it a few months ago…I love that it includes a razor for shaving hairy chests!
I could see businesses, restaurants, community groups, senior centers, exercise centers, buying one. I wish my parents had had one when my dad had his heart attack. He didn’t survive.
I was surprised that Amazon’s sophisticated recommendation system picked this for me.
I’m trying to talk my parents into getting one. My father is a type 2 diabetic, is on meds for high blood pressure, has a brother that died of a sudden cardiac event, and a father that had a sextuple bypass two years ago. Though he hasn’t been diagnosed with any heart problems, his odds of a sudden unexpected cardiac emergency are substantially higher than the general population.
For anyone whose CPR card is expired, you’ll get an intro on AEDs at your next recert. In my local area, various grants have been used to put them in patrol cars, and we carry them on 2 of our 3 fire trucks.