Introduction
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure that can save lives by restarting the heart and breathing after cardiac arrest. This section will summarize what early defibrillation is, why it's important to get started quickly when someone is having a heart attack or some other type of cardiac arrest, and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Here we go!
If a person goes into cardiac arrest
If a person goes into cardiac arrest and is not defibrillated within 6 minutes, their chance of survival decreases by 10-15% each minute that elapses. This is why it's so important to get help as quickly as possible.
When you call 911, the dispatcher will ask you some questions about your location and what happened before they send an ambulance or paramedic team. The average response time for ambulances in the US is 8 minutes; however, this can vary depending on where you live and how busy they are at any given time. Once the paramedics arrive on the scene (after driving through traffic), they will assess your condition before starting CPR if necessary (and hopefully give you some oxygen). Then if there's still no pulse after two minutes of chest compressions with breaths every 30 seconds (or three minutes total), then they'll shock your heart with electricity via paddles placed on either side of your chest wall above each nipple--this will hopefully restart circulation immediately but may take several attempts before success occurs! If all goes well though...you'll soon be transferred to the hospital where doctors will monitor vital signs closely until consciousness returns naturally - which could take anywhere from 20 minutes up until several hours depending upon the severity
The sooner someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest receives treatment
The sooner someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest receives treatment, the better their chance at survival. When a person suffers sudden cardiac arrest, they are unconscious and not breathing (they may also have vomited). The heart has stopped beating normally and the brain is deprived of oxygen. This means they need CPR and defibrillation as soon as possible--CPR helps keep blood circulating to the brain and other vital organs while we wait for an automated external defibrillator (AED) to arrive on the scene. Early defibrillation is the only way to restart the heart in sudden cardiac arrest; therefore it's essential that bystanders know how to use an AED if one becomes available during resuscitation efforts
The earlier CPR is started the better the outcome for the patient
In general, the earlier CPR is started, the better the outcome for the patient. In sudden cardiac arrest situations, early defibrillation is critical. This means that if you see someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest and they don't have a pulse but is still breathing normally (not gasping), then you should immediately call 911 and begin performing CPR on them until paramedics arrive on the scene or until it becomes clear that no help is coming (for example if it's an isolated area).
The sooner someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest receives treatment--and specifically defibrillation--the better their chance at survival. Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib) causes an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to cardiac arrest within minutes unless treated immediately by either medication or electricity delivered through an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
Early defibrillation is critical in a cardiac arrest situation
Early defibrillation is critical in a cardiac arrest situation. Defibrillation is the use of an electronic device to restore a normal heart rhythm. The sooner defibrillation is performed, the better the chance of survival. The longer it takes to defibrillate someone, the worse their outcome will be. In a cardiac arrest situation, it is important to call 911 immediately and start CPR as soon as possible if you have a defibrillator nearby and know how to operate it (or get help).
The first 5 minutes of a cardiac arrest are the most critical; after this time period there may still be hope for saving someone's life but treatment should begin quickly because there is less likelihood that resuscitation efforts will be successful due to decreased blood flow through arteries and reduced oxygen levels in tissues throughout their body
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to understand the role of early defibrillation in CPR. While there are many factors that affect whether or not a patient will survive cardiac arrest, early defibrillation can have a significant impact on their overall prognosis. Studies have shown that if patients receive CPR within four minutes of collapse and are shocked within two minutes of receiving CPR (or one minute after), survival rates can be as high as 50%!