Defibrillator Advice.com

‘arrhythmia’

In the United states, an estimated 300000 people die every year of sudden cardiac arrest although internationally, it’s unclear how many are at risk. Many patients have a device called a defibrillator implanted that delivers a shock to restart the heart. Now, some doctors are prescribing the device in a vest worn outside the body. And the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is testing the effectiveness of “The LifeVest.” Thousands wear the device and the Pittsburgh-based manufacturer says it expects the number of patients using the technology to double this year. Steve Mort reports.

Internal Heart Defibrilation

FDA is alerting users of certain Powerheart and CardioVive automated external defibrillators that these devices may malfunction unexpectedly. This can cause a failure to deliver the electric shocks that are needed to treat sudden cardiac arrest or arrhythmias. The manufacturer, Cardiac Science Corporation, has received multiple complaints that these devices have malfunctioned, and that their self-test features may not show that there’s anything wrong. Before each use, operators are supposed to check for a green light on the front of the AED that shows the device is rescue-ready. But the light may come on even when certain electronic components inside the device have failed. Malfunctions could cause these AEDs to interrupt ECG analysis and thus prevent shock delivery, or fail to recognize that the pads have been placed. Malfunctions could also cause interference or background noise, which could prevent the device from accurately analyzing heart rhythm and delivering a shock. About 300000 Cardiac Science G3 series Powerheart and CardioVive AEDs are affected by this problem worldwide. They were manufactured between August 2003 and August 2009. FDA recommends that users contact Cardiac Science Corporation immediately to arrange for repairs or replacement. Until the company repairs or replaces the affected devices, FDA recommends that users switch to alternate AEDs if they are available, or that they consider obtaining another AED. If an alternate AED is not available, trained …

Product Description
Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Defibrillation consists of delivering a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the affected heart with a device called a defibrillator. This depolarizes a critical mass of the heart muscle, terminates the arrhythmia, and allows normal sinus rhythm to be reestablished by the body’s natural pacemaker, in the sinoatr… More >>

Defibrillation: Cardiac arrhythmia, Ventricular fibrillation, Ventricular tachycardia, Electrical conduction system of the heart, Cardiac pacemaker, Sinoatrial node, Automated external defibrillator

OR-Live.com webcast February 28th at 6:30 PM EST from Halifax Health Medical Center Halifax Health will present Florida’s first live online Automated Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator case on Thursday, February 28, at 6:30 pm. A majority of the 200000 — 400000 people that die suddenly in the United States each year do so as a result of heart rhythm abnormalities known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a battery-powered device that significantly improves the chances of survival in people at high risk for these arrhythmias. Modern ICDs are sophisticated devices that are able to perform three general functions: treatment of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, record the heart’s activity in the device memory, and standard pacemaker functions. Hanscy Seide, MD, will perform the procedure and Donald Stoner, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Halifax Health Medical Center, will moderate. Dr. Seide, who is with Cardiology Consultants in Daytona Beach, has implanted more than 350 defibrillators during the past three years.