Fear of defibrillators is truly shocking

If you saw someone dying of a heart attack and an electric defibrillator was nearby, would you pick up the paddles and try to shock the victim back to life?

According to a troubling new report in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, nearly half of the population could not identify an automated external defibrillator (AED) and 43 percent of people would not use one even if they could. That conclusion comes from surveys of 978 travelers passing through Amsterdam’s Central Station, its main railway terminal, and of 45 train company employees. The respondents came from 38 countries. Reasons given by the study subjects for not using the AEDs included: not being trained; not being familiar with how they are used; and fear of harming the victim. Also, some believed they might be held liable for a poor outcome and the possibility of subsequent litigation.

ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross says that these reasons are not valid and should not deter rendering life-saving assistance in an emergency. “First off,” he comments, “you should know that you cannot harm a person in cardiac arrest with an AED. The paddles won’t make the situation worse, nor will they affect a person with a normal heart rhythm. Also, they don’t require any special training to use – just follow the instructions — and as a lay person, you can’t be sued for trying to help.”

How do you know if someone needs your assistance? “I follow a simple rule,” he continues. “If you approach someone with the paddles, and they say ‘get away from me with those things,’ do so.”

“Seriously, if a person is unresponsive, not breathing and you can’t detect a pulse, the first thing to do is tell someone to call 911. Then, if there’s an AED, go ahead and use it. Absent that equipment, of course, CPR should be initiated and continued. AEDs should be in as many public places as possible. They can make a crucial difference. People need to know this.”