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From: Bob Austin (no email)
Date: Mon Nov 01 2004 - 18:38:28 EST
I am very much in favor of automatic defibrillators. In the late 80's and
early 90's I carried a defribillator with me when I traveled with college ball
teams. We would charter an airplane and have 70 to 100 passangers going to
games. However, I also carried a mobile ICU--with endotrachial tube and
laryngoscope, ambu bag, oxygen, I V gear, with advanced life support drugs,
and a rather complete surgical kit, including gear for chest tube insertion.
I also had two athletic trainers and at least 6 training students, all of whom
were trained in at least basic life support and CPR. At stadiums we had at
least one paramedic unit--and if one was utalized, a back up was immediately
available.
The question is, how our dollar is spent and what the risk benefit ratio is?
In todays world, the AED has become relitatively inexpensive and training is
easily available. The units are much better than even 5 years ago, when I was
first asked if this was a necessary item to have on a cruising boat. Is the
$1000 to $2000 better spent on an EPIRP and good electronics or perhaps a SSB
radio? That is a hard question to answer--and depends on the individual risk
factors.
Off list we were asked about diet and exercise as prevention for cardiac
emergencies. Certainly these are important. Unfortunately there are many
sudden cardiac events in even young children, athletes in high school and
college age and young women, as well as men who are in apparently excellent
physical condition.
In an ideal world we probably would all be trained in CPR, first aid and AED,
plus all of our cars and boats would have AED--this is not practical. This
year I have included a discussion of the AED in my medical lectures--and will
attempt to have several models at Stuart Trawler Fest.
Regards to all,
Bob Austin
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