We all want to be fit and healthy that is why going to health fitness centers is a must for each and every one of us. This establishment is actually built to help us relax, de-stress and most of all, to be fit and healthy. But what if the establishment itself lacks Emergency Medical Devices such as AEDs? How can one establishment help save our life? What if they already have it at hand but no one else is trained to use it? Read these two real life stories about Sudden Cardiac Arrest that happens on two different Health Fitness Centers and be the judge who’s to blame.

A very well known Health and Fitness Club LA Fitness was ordered to pay $619,650 due to gross negligence following a Sudden Cardiac Arrest incident that happens to one of its customers Alessio Tringali. Alessio Tringali a 49-year-old man went into the LA Fitness Club located at Oakland Park Gym to work out when suddenly the unexpected happen. Tringali suffers from Sudden Cardiac Arrest while working out on the gym but then fighting for his own life was indeed solitarily. No Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation was performed to him and there is no Emergency Medical Device such as AEDs present on site. Battling for his life, the old man died helpless on the gym and the family sued the establishment for gross negligence. After taking much investigation and hearing sessions, the Broward Circuit Court Jury ordered the famous LA Health and Fitness Center to pay the amount of $619,650 to the family for the damages made.***1

If you think that life can be taken away that easy, read this another Sudden Cardiac Arrest story that happens on Hillsborough Fitness Club that nearly shocked the world of fitness establishments.

Thomas Durkin, a 44-year-old man went into the Hillsborough Fitness club to play racquetball when suddenly the man turned blue gasping up for air. Someone called over 911 while the Fitness staff members rushed on the AED unit to save his life. Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation was performed by the staff member but then the available AED unit was not even touched. Instead of using the machine for immediate resuscitation, they failed to use it on Mr. Durkin making him few inches away from reviving. The staff member waited 7 minutes long for the Hillsborough police to arrive letting Mr. Durkin fall into irreversible death. Pronounced dead due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest secondary to Arrhythmia, the family decided to file a suitcase to Hillsborough Fitness Club for failing to use to AED unit available on the area.***2

The case of Mr. Thomas Durkin is very depressing for that fact that the AED unit is already available at hand but then no trained personnel is present on the site to use the machine. If only the machine is used, Mr. Durkin could still be saved from dying into Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Health and Fitness Center is where we usually spent precious time and money just to make us fit and healthy. But what if they don’t have AEDs or trained personnel present at site? Would you risk your life on their establishment? The above story only proves that two things should always be present on each and every vulnerable establishment such as Health and Fitness Clubs, AED units and trained personnel.

The Zoll AED Pro is one of the sturdiest defibrillators available in the market. Both the chest compression rate and depth are measured and reported as real-time statistics to make sure that the data is as accurate as possible. It has both visual and audio options for data reporting. All CPR data can be instantly recorded and also viewed at any time with the help of the RescueNet Code Review software.

All the vital information such as ECG waveforms, heartrate, shock administration can be viewed on the LCD screen in a clear manner. You can choose the operating mode you are most comfortable with. The AED Pro is equipped with an internal memory and also comes with an USB drive for easy data transfer. There are three choices available for the battery and as such, we can choose the one that is the most compatible with our system. It is extremely easy to carry and is lightweight. A picture of the Zoll AED Pro is shown above.

With over 340,000 people becoming victims of sudden cardiac arrest every year, it is extremely important to have a reliable defibrillator at a handy location. The Philips HeartStart defibrillator can be used for shock administration to any person at any time. Weighing just 3.3lbs, it is extremely light and portable.

 When you switch it on, the defibrillator instructs us in a clear manner about the necessary steps to be taken to administer shock to the victim. CPR coaching is provided to make sure that the person gains confidence about the entire process. The Philips HeartStart defibrillator works on the two technologically advanced features of SMART Analysis heart rhythm assessment and SMART Biphasic defibrillation therapy. It even has the Quick Shock feature, which allows the shock to be administered to the victim in matter of seconds soon after CPR. A picture of the Philips HeartStart Onsite Defibrillator is shown to the right.

 Thus, with so many features, buying the Philips HeartStart Onsite Defibrillator can prove to be a very good decision.

1. No pads attached. Shock advised. Two minutes CPR. Scenario

Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SAC occurs because of a condition called ventricular defibrillation. During this condition, the lower chambers of the heart do not function properly. The fibrillation of the ventricles does not allow them to contract normally and as such poses a severe problem to pumping blood efficiently.

This arrhythmia causes the heart to not pump blood to the brain and other vital organs which results in the heart beating in a chaotic and irregular manner. If this condition is not treated in minutes with the help of an automatic external defibrillator or AED, then it can lead to the death of a person.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States with over 300,000 people experiencing it every year. The condition is quite fatal, with the victims having a survival rate of only 5%. As such, it is very important to know the factors that can cause this condition so that we can take all the precautions necessary to be healthy and safe.

The following are the symptoms which can lead to this condition in the future- people having a family history of heart disease, heart attack or cardiac death, people experiencing sudden fainting spells, shortness of breath an chest pain, having a heart attack can also lead to this condition, having a cardiac ejection fraction of less than 40% and having high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity or high cholesterol are all the risk factors. Any person having these symptoms should immediately get a checkup done by a heart specialist.

The most common symptoms that a person having a Sudden Cardiac Arrest experiences chest pain, an acute pain in the left arm, shoulders or jaw, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, sweating, immediate loss of consciousness, a racing heart beat and if no immediate action is taken then finally the breathing stops and death occurs.

When a person collapses from Sudden Cardiac Arrest then immediate action is required in order to save the person’s life. Calling 911 and any other emergency number should be immediately done so that we can be assured that professional help is at hand. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation using an automatic external defibrillator (AED) should be done.

The AED first analyses the heart beat and the patient’s condition and through either a voice prompt or visual display indicates the next course of action that should be taken. It instructs the user to press a specific button which can help deliver a shock to bring back the person’s heart beat to normal. After the first shock is given, the device monitors the victim’s vital statistics and then decides if cardiopulmonary resuscitation or another shock is required or not. AED’s should be made available int all public places and workplaces.  They are relatively inexpensive when you consider their life saving value.