AED and American Heart Association

  

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The American Heart Association (AHA) is a national voluntary health agency which was founded in 1924 by six cardiologists representing several groups from different states of the US for conducting research and studies on information about heart disease. The founding members were Dr Lewis A. Conner and Dr Robert H. Halsey of New York, Dr Paul D. White of Boston, Dr Joseph Sailer of Philadelphia, Dr Robert B. Preble of Chicago and Dr Hugh D. McCulloch of St. Louis. American Heart Association is working towards the goal of reducing coronary heart disease, stroke and risk by 25 percent by 2010. 

American Heart Association aims at protecting and helping people from heart disease and stroke since more than 8 decades. The association invests millions of dollars every year for Philips HeartStart AED, AED training, and AED programs for a healthy and stronger America. According to the American Heart Association:

  • CPR rescue attempts using AED’s improves survival rates by as much as 49%. 
  • Every single day 1,000 adults die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the US i.e. about 350,000 each year. 
  • Heart diseases take more than 930,000 American lives a year.
  • It is possible to save 20,000 to 100,000 lives if AED programs are implemented effectively.
  • Philips onsite AED can save the lives of up to 90% of its victims, if help is provided within the first minute of sudden cardiac arrest.
  • With every passing minute until defibrillation, the victim’s survival rate decreases by 10%. 
The association has been making efforts to promote public access to defibrillation (PAD) so that AEDs are available at all public and/or private places where large numbers of people gather. AHA is also making efforts to create awareness about the need and effectiveness of CPR training. Most people are not aware of the fact that in case of a sudden cardiac arrest, only half of the patients actually require defibrillation, others need CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation helps in circulation of oxygen-rich blood to brain and heart. Even after delivering an electric shock, a typical Automated home defibrillator will prompt the rescuer to continue CPR. 
Promoting AED for Helping Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims

Sudden cardiac arrest can victimize a person of any age or fitness level anywhere, anytime. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a life-saving device used to administer electric shock to a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. American Heart Association promotes implementing heartstart aed successfully in schools, airports, railway stations, healthcare centers, offices, casinos, stadiums, restaurants and other places. Using Philips aed requires some basic training that involves learning how to use AED effectively in emergency situations. According to a survey by AHA, most Americans are not confident of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) during a cardiac emergency. AHA wants people to overcome any fears and take lifesaving decision. For this home aed training is very essential.

American Heart Association provides CPR and Philips defibrillator training through its various training centers. The AHA’s new Heartsaver AED Course includes both CPR and AED training and is less than four hours in duration. Apart from classroom CPR and AED instruction, the American Heart Association also offers a self-paced CPR Anytime Kit where training happens through an inflatable manikin and instructional DVD.