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| What is an AED? |
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| An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a small portable electrical device that automatically analyses potentially life threatening cardiac rhythms in a patient and treats it by defibrillation, the application of an electrical shock, to allow the heart to re-establish normal rhythms. It is designed to be used primarily by first responders in cardiac emergencies who may not be fully trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. |
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| Early defibrillation, the third critical link in the Chain of Survival, can greatly improve survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests caused by irregular heart rhythms (ventricular fibrillation). Defibrillation works best in the first few minutes after the onset of cardiac arrest. If it is initiated too late, the heart may not respond to the electric therapy. For every minute of delay in giving CPR and defibrillation following collapse, the survival rate decreases by 7-10%. |
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| Why create an AED Registry? |
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| Current out-of-hospital cardiac arrests survival rate stands at a dismal 2.7%. This means, out of 100 people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, only three will survive. |
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| Establishing the AED Registry, the first in Singapore, increases public access to these life-saving devices. The AED Registry is aimed at shortening the critical response time to cardiac emergencies and increasing the survival rate in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. |
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| What information does the AED Registry have? |
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| The AED Registry contains the following information: |
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• List of establishments with AEDs installed on their premises
• Number of AEDs in these facilities
• Relevant contact details
• Description of the AED whereabouts (if available) |
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| How will having the AED Registry help increase survival rates for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests? |
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| The AED Registry would be of considerable value to bystanders, first aiders and paramedics in the event of cardiac emergencies in the following ways: |
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| 1. It helps to identify the opportunities to develop general emergency awareness to the public and life-saving role of bystanders. |
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| 2. It directly addresses sudden cardiac arrest by linking the AED location, AED users and sudden cardiac arrest victims |
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| How many establishments are listed on the AED Registry currently? |
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| We are constantly updating and growing the Registry. As of October 2009, 70 establishments, including shopping malls, schools, hotels and country clubs have registered to be part of the AED Registry. Plans to include public and commercial buildings are underway. |
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| Why should I install AED in my building? |
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| When sudden cardiac arrest strikes, it is often fatal. It can happen to anyone and usually strikes without warning and in the most unexpected situations. With an average adult spending more than 80% of his waking hours in the office, it is important to outfit the office environment for any possible cardiac emergency. Staff should also be trained to use the AED as well as administer CPR. |
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| How much does an AED cost? |
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| The average cost of an AED ranges from $2,000 to $3,500, excluding installation costs. The AED device can last up to 10 years, while the pads have a shelf life of about 18 months. However, when compared with the AED’s potential to save lives, the cost of not having one may well be a death statistic. |
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| If you are interested to be part of the AED Registry or have any enquiries about installing an AED on your premises, do call us at 6354 9355 / 9354 or email us at cpraed@heart.org.sg. |
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| Back to AED Registry |
