The HEARTS Act Passes Congress
On June 10, 2008, the Josh Miller HEARTS Act passed the Congress, thus paving the way for saving more lives.
According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the HEARTs Act
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Archive for the Defibrillator category
Remembering Tim Russert
Instead of featuring a heart(y) celebrity this month, I would like to pay my respects to Tim Russert of NBC.
I was travelling around Western Europe when I heard of his unexpected death. Even here in the old continent, his name and face was known, especially among the English-speaking community. Russert was a respected political journalist whose opinion carried a lot of weight in the political scene.
It’s National CPR/AED Awareness Week
Do you know how to perform a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an an automated external defibrillator (AED)? Do you know how to act in an emergency to help save a life? As part of the National CPR/AED Awareness Week, the American Heart Association (AHA) conducted a survey about the ability of Americans to act appropriately in a cardiac emergency. And the results are a bit disappointing.
The AHA survey was done online and 1,132 responded to the survey, 162 of whom were African Americans and 150 were Hispanics. 89% or the respondents were willing to help in an emergency situation. The rest are not willing or hesitant to help out because of lack of confidence in their life-saving skills, concerns about possible litigation, or fear of doing more harm than good.
Understanding A Defibrillator Implant
By Mark Glazer
A defibrillator implant is a tiny device that’s placed in a person’s heart to detect abnormal heartbeats. When a person’s heart beats too quickly or starts to beat erratically, this electronic device sends a power boost to the heart. The energy gives the heart muscle enough strength to get back on track.
Of course we’re not born with a defibrillator. To get a defibrillator implant you have to undergo a two-to-five hour surgery. Generally those who get defibrillator implants have also had heart attacks. For example, Vice President Dick Cheney had a defibrillator placed in his chest after he had a heart attack.
Defibrillator - Heart Savior or Life Killer?
By Eddy Lam
Defibrillator – heart savior or life killer? The typical thought is that a defibrillator is used to save lives, but how can it kill too?
A defibrillator is a medical device used in the defibrillation of the heart. Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), the two most common causes of sudden cardiac death.
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib or VF) is a condition in which there is uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart. As a result, the heart fails to adequately pump the blood, and tachycardia and hypoxia may occur.
Raquel Billiones has a PhD in Biology and has over 15 years experience as a researcher, scientific English teacher, and medical writer. Since 2006, she has been a freelance WAHM specializing in medical writing and scientific documentation. 
