Tuesday 17th January 2012 - Published by Lara Page - Account Manager
Medical Firm Backs CPR Awareness Campaign with Launch of New Lifesaving Technology
A Sussex-based medical firm is backing hard man Vinnie Jones’ latest lifesaving campaign to raise awareness of the importance of CPR, but thinks the chances of cardiac arrest survival could be dramatically enhanced if rescuers had rapid access to an easy to use piece of medical equipment costing less than a 3DTV.
The Defib Centre, who specialise in automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), is hoping to raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and is urging people to consider investing in a lifesaving and affordable portable defibrillator.
Latest UK estimates suggest that almost 30,000 people’s hearts stop due to cardiac arrest with almost 90% not surviving. The condition affects people of all ages and many times victims have no prior symptoms or history of cardiovascular disease.
Robin Shepherd, Director at the Defib Centre said, “Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the world and we as an organisation are committed to educating the masses about its dangers. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a great start but an automated external defibrillator (AED) is often necessary to deliver the all-important shock that can re-boot the heart into normal rhythm again.
“If a shock can be delivered within the first five minutes of a heart attack then the chance of survival goes up from around only 5% to over 75%. That’s a lot of lives potentially saved.”
The equipment is now accessible to everyone and can mean the difference between life and death. The firm is pressing the government to increase awareness of cardiac arrest especially amongst young people in schools. Many countries do it, from Norway to Austria to most parts of the U.S. In Arizona, where everyone has been taught CPR techniques at school and is a requirement to obtaining a driving license, survival rates for cardiac arrest are 250% higher than those in the UK.
The Defib Centre is now urging schools, workplaces, sports and entertainment venues to consider investing in the life saving equipment which can be used with minimal training and do absolutely no harm only good. Their ground-breaking AED, manufactured here in the UK by HeartSine Technologies, not only simply and effectively delivers the essential shock but also instructs users on how to correctly perform CPR by monitoring the depth and speed of compressions giving the user immediate and vital feedback. With over 70% of CPR being historically delivered poorly it offers the lay rescuer the very best chance of saving a life using an AED.
For more information on the defibrillators, please contact The Defib Centre on 0800 634 9745 or visit www.thedefibcentre.co.uk
Finbar Shepherd, 14, son of Robin Shepherd
