What can you do or not do with a defibrillator?

Answer 1

A defibrillator is used when the heart goes into an abnormal rhythm called Ventricular Fibrillation. A normal heart will have a certain rhythm. The upper chambers of the heart, known as the Atria. One chamber is called the Atrium. The lower chambers are the ventricles. Each chamber is connected by valves in the heart. The right side of the heart receives oxygen poor blood. It is pumped out to the lungs and oxygen rich blood is pumped out by the left side of the heart. The heart has it's electrical system which keeps it in rhythm. The atrioventricular node is the heart's pacemaker and controls the rhythm of the heart. During a cardiac arrest the lower chambers or the ventricles can begin to quiver. They are unable to pump oxygenated blood into the body. Most importantly they can pump blood to the brain. If this is not corrected quickly a person will die. A defibrillator will deliver a shock of electricity to the heart in order to stop the quivering of the ventricles and stablize the rhythm of the heart. When using a defibrillator you usually start with a lower shock and increase the strength of the shock if it is not working and fibrillation is not correcting itself. Basically it restarts the heart to return it to a normal sinus rhythm.

A defibrillator cannot bring someone back to life if the heart has completely stopped for a period of time. Sometimes a defibrillator doesn't work because there is too much damage to the ventricles. An inferior wall M.I. is a heart attack that occurs at the back of the heart and usually destroys the ventricle. A defibrillator cannot correct this.

Defibrillators can also be used if someone is experiencing Atrial Fibrillation. Generally the process is the same but the patient may be conscious. Atrial Fibrillation is not as serious as Ventricular Fibrillation but if it is not corrected the patient can develop blood clots or other complications.