Defibrillation in 3 to 5 minutes can save 70% hit by cardiac arrest
ENGLAND’S top doctor has backed a Daily Express campaign to get more life-saving defibrillators on the national network.
The devices have the power to restart a patient’s heart when it unexpectedly stops beating.
But thousands have yet to be logged on The Circuit, the system used to direct 999 callers to their nearest one in emergencies.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: “Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to a tenth.
“But performing CPR can help double someone’s chance of survival, and defibrillation within the first three to five minutes can save up to seven in 10 people.”
He urged members of the public to get behind our Complete The Circuit crusade ahead of the NHS’s 75th anniversary on July 5.
Sir Stephen said: “In support of the Daily Express’ campaign to reach 100,000 defibs registered on The Circuit, it would be fantastic to see the numbers registered reaching the 75,000 mark by the NHS’ 75th birthday.
“Uncovering these hidden defibrillators could be crucial for someone experiencing cardiac arrest.”
A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood around the body. Sufferers are at high risk of dying if not treated immediately. Defibrillators deliver an electric pulse to restart the heart, via pads attached to the patient’s torso.
Belfast doctor Prof Frank Pantridge is credited with developing the first portable device in 1965. It weighed over 70kg.
Initially ridiculed in some medical circles, in 1990 they became standard in all frontline ambulances in the UK. Modern defibrillators weigh just 3kg and can be used by anyone without training.
The machines can be the difference between life and death. But they are currently used by bystanders in less than five per cent of cardiac arrests outside of hospital.
Sir Stephen said: “There are more than 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year, and fewer than one in 10 people survive.”
The British Heart Foundation, which is supporting the campaign, estimates that only 66,000 out of more than 100,000 defibrillators in the UK are registered.
We are asking members of the public to look out for devices in public spaces, workplaces or clubs and to check whether they are on The Circuit by visiting www.defibfinder.uk.
If not, the defibrillator’s guardian – the unsung heroes who maintain them – can register them online at www.thecircuit.uk. Sir Stephen added: “If you have a defibrillator, please make sure you register it.”