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CD-ROM Today (UK) (Spanish) 15
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01935.txt
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1994-01-17
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$Unique_ID{BRK01935}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Life Saving Defibrillator}
$Subject{Defibrillator electric shock heart fibrillation attack attacks
contract contracts impulse impulses muscle muscles sinus node blood electrode
electrodes EMT emergency medical technician technicians rhythm rhythms}
$Volume{}
$Log{
Arrhythmias: Atrial Fibrillation*0001402.scf
Arrhythmias: Ventricular Fibrillation*0001407.scf}
Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Life Saving Defibrillator
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION: I saw a TV show about medical emergencies, where they stick
something on the dead person's chest, and give him a shock. It doesn't always
work, but after two or three jolts the patients is brought back to life. Can
you tell me what the machine is called and how it works? I am doing this
research for my school science project, and appreciate any help you can give
me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: The name of the machine is a "defibrillator" and it delivers an
electric shock to the heart. Now I suppose I should describe "fibrillation"
so you can understand how this works. In many cases of heart attack, there is
a change in the way the heart contracts. Instead of regular electrical
impulses going to the heart muscles from special cells located inside the
heart (the sinus node), irregular, scattered electrical impulses rush all
through the heart. Instead of contracting in an organized fashion, the fibers
in heart muscles all contract at different moments as they are touched by
these disorganized electrical impulses, so that the heart just quivers. And
that's what fibrillation is, the involuntary, irregular contraction of the
individual heart muscle fibers. When this happens the heart no longer pushes
the blood through the four chambers of the heart and out to the body. There
is no blood circulating in the body and no pulse can be felt. The patient
looks dead. But not quite, for if the heart can be made to beat regularly
once again, in an organized fashion, the patients life can be saved. Here
comes the "defibrillator." It has a power supply, like an electrical battery,
two electrodes or pads that can be placed on the patient's chest, and a
monitor (like a TV set) that can show the pattern of the heart beat on the
screen. When the EMT (emergency medical technician) or the emergency room
doctor sees the pattern of fibrillation on the monitor, he (or she) can place
the two pads on the chest over the heart, and send an electrical charge
through the heart muscle. This interrupts the irregular electrical flow, and
permits the heart to start a normal pattern of beating. Sometimes it takes
more than one try to get the heart beat started and back to normal, and the
patient needs much care once the heart starts to beat normally again.
However, when used correctly and promptly, the defibrillator can save the
lives of many of the 600,000 Americans who die of sudden cardiac death each
year.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.