BY ADELLE LARMOUR

Life-saving support machines called Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are making their way into public facilities across Northern Ontario.

An AED is a computerized device used to identify cardiac rhythms and deliver a shock to correct abnormal electrical activity in the heart.

Almost 700 AEDs are being placed throughout the North, said Nadia Yee, senior manager, government relations, with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
A $3 million grant from the Ministry of Health Promotion provided for the purchase of 1,000 defibrillators across the province, but corporate sponsorships and Heart and Stroke Foundation fund-raising initiatives have doubled the commitment to 2,000 units. Ontario now leads the way with its public access defibrillator (PAD) program.

The concept of installing defibrillators in public places received more attention in 2005 after NHL hockey player Jiri Fischer’s heart stopped during a game. Fortunately, immediate CPR and the use of an AED saved his life. Since then, he has been a strong advocate for CPR training and access to AEDs in public places like hockey arenas and recreation centres.

The passage of the Chase McEachern Act in June 2007 cleared the way for the use of AEDs by ensuring that users of the devices and owners and operators of premises at which they are installed are protected from civil liability.

“There has been an increase in the adoption of the device since this legislation has passed,” Yee said. “That Act really clarified concerns that a lot of property owners had about installing defibrillators.”

Ontario’s Heart and Stroke Foundation works with its municipal partners and through Emergency Medical Services (EMS), who in turn, have established public access defibrillator (PAD) programs.

In Canada, between 35,000 and 45,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest each year, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. For every one-minute delay in defibrillation, the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims decreases by seven to 10 per cent.

The device has a lifespan of five to seven years. Only the pads require replacement after use. Pediatric pad sizes are available for children. AEDs are designed for use by the layperson although training is recommended. If the machine detects no heartbeat or an irregular pattern, it will direct the user through voice prompts when to give a shock, which is performed by pressing a button. A shock cannot be delivered unless the machine requests the operator to do so. The device will actually instruct the operator in CPR. The kit also contains a mask barrier for mouth to mask resuscitation.

“We feel most people should have CPR training to accompany the use of the AED,” Yee said.

Life savers

Dr. Chris Bourdon, medical director of Sudbury Regional Hospital’s emergency department, said defibrillators are “definitely life savers.”

The Ontario Prehospital Advanced Life Support study in 2005 confirmed that early access, early CPR and defibrillation increased the chance of survival following a sudden cardiac arrest, said Bourdon.

Sudbury Regional Hospital’s emergency department receives approximately 60,000 visits annually, of which 15 to 20 percent are heart-related complaints. Given northeastern Ontario’s aging population, that figure is steadily increasing.

Municipal buildings

Currently, 27 AEDs have been placed in Sudbury municipal buildings, with 12 more coming, said Jennifer Amyotte, chief of professional standards for the City of Greater Sudbury. Approximately 100 people have received training.

The city purchased ZOLL AEDs because both the fire and EMS departments also use them.

A quality assurance program ensures the devices are checked on a weekly basis. The City’s next step is to place AEDs in community centres and libraries.

Other conscientious organizations are also obtaining AEDs. St. Patrick’s Church in Sudbury recently purchased a defibrillator kit. Mary Ann Peloso, chairperson of the parish health council, said the church saw the need to install the AED due to its aging parishioners.

“We have a lot of senior functions at the church, so we figured the chances of something happening are rising as the population ages and we wanted to be prepared,” she said.
Ultimately, proponents of this life saving device would like to see as many AEDs in public places as there are fire extinguishers.

“People have the ability to take a fire extinguisher off the wall and use it if necessary,” Amyotte said. “That is what we hope to do with the AED because they have proven to make a difference.”

www.heartandstroke.ca