Your automated external defibrillator (AED) is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your practice. In a cardiac emergency it could help you save a life. Although not everyone can be saved from sudden cardiac arrest, studies show that early defibrillation can dramatically improve survival rates. As equipment matures and technology advances, it is important to evaluate the age and capabilities of your AEDs to determine if it is time for a replacement. We recommend considering a few things outlined below.
Age of Device
Various external agencies provide advice regarding the useful life of medical equipment. For example, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) publishes guidelines for common categories of medical equipment for depreciation purposes and lists the effective life of an AED as eight years (see Taxation Ruling TR 2021/3). Some state health authorities have developed similar useful life guidance using evidence-based review.
AEDs operate using replaceable parts. Typically, if the parts are still being manufactured, you can maintain and repair an AED without needing to replace the entire unit. However, manufacturers may discontinue products when parts may become obsolete and are no longer available for service and repairs. In addition, if your warranty is expired, it can become cost-prohibitive to maintain the unit.
When you decide it’s time to replace your AEDs, the team at AED will explain the warranty period of your new devices and the expiry dates for the consumables like batteries and pads. This helps calculate overall cost of ownership and can be an indicator of quality.
Technology Improvements
Biphasic waveforms
Gentle, yet effective, biphasic waveforms are now the standard of care. It has been proven that biphasic waveforms are more effective than monophasic waveforms in converting chaotic heart rhythms to an organized heart rhythm. Because of the effectiveness of biphasic waveforms, defibrillators with monophasic waveforms are no longer manufactured.
Escalating energy
The ability to escalate energy can improve shock success when lower energy shocks fail. This gives those difficult-to-defibrillate patients a better chance of survival. Currently, Lifepak is the only manufacturer that escalates energy to 360J, an energy level used by many paramedics.
A defibrillator purchase is an investment that lasts years. Choosing an AED with full energy provides the flexibility to deliver the dose your patient needs as guidelines and protocols evolve to reflect new understanding and research.
Battery improvements
Battery technology has improved significantly in recent years. Older units often require large, bulky batteries that are expensive to replace. Batteries in current AEDs are typically small and lightweight, carry a higher capacity, and are less expensive on a per year basis.
Usability Improvements
Fully automatic shock
While all AEDs are designed to be user-friendly, fully automatic AEDs make it even easier for a responder to help a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. A fully automatic AED is designed to give a shock automatically, if needed, without the user having to push a button to deliver that shock. The device communicates clear, calm, step-by-step instructions that let responders know when a victim is about to be shocked. Fully automatic models are designed to help responders who may hesitate to push the shock button.
Clear voice prompts and step-by-step instructions
Continual improvements in the quality and clarity of voice prompts and instructions are helping to better guide responders in deploying the AED device and delivering CPR appropriately.
Visual indicators and voice prompt updates have also been added to help instruct the responder in placing the electrode pads appropriately. The simple, step-by-step instructions are continually reviewed and updated based on user feedback.
Ease of maintenance
To increase readiness assurance, today’s AEDs have indicators that notify you when the electrode pads are past the Use By date and when the battery requires replacement. AED Authority has a program that monitors your AEDs and advises you of any expiration dates that are approaching. minimising the maintenance burden and helping to ensure your units will always be supplied and ready for use.
If you’re concerned that your AED might be reaching the end of its useful life, or would like to know more about the latest devices, reach out to the team at AED Authority.
The ANZCOR guidelines are evidence based resuscitation protocols that include recommendations for Automated External Defibrillators.
The guidelines have been developed with consideration of all available scientific and published information.
Defibrillators that have a high level of compliance with the ANZCOR Guidelines offer the best practice features as recommended by the Australian Resuscitation Council.
Who Is The Australian Resuscitation Council
The Australian Resuscitation Council is sponsored by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, it is a not for profit voluntary coordinating body which represents all major groups involved in the teaching and practice of resuscitation. More information on the Australian Resuscitation Council can be found at https://resus.org.au/
What Defibrillators Best Meet The ANZCOR Guidelines
The Physio Control LIFEPAK® CR2 is a stand out when it comes to compliance to the ANZCOR Guidelines as it ;
It complies with the ANZCOR recommendation for escalating energy to 360 Joules“If the first shock is not successful and the defibrillator is capable of delivering shocks of higher energy, it is reasonable to increase the energy to the maximum available for subsequent shocks.”
It complies with the ANZCOR recommendation for default initial energy of 200 Joules For biphasic waveforms: “The default initial energy level for adults should be set at 200J.”
It complies with the ANZCOR recommendation for decreased time to defibrillation. It is the fastest unit on the market to shock * and uses CPR insight technology to allow CPR to be performed while its analyzing a heart rhythm giving more hands on patient time to perform CPR. “The chance of successful defibrillation decreases with time. Therefore the performance of good CPR and decreasing the time to defibrillation are the highest priorities in resuscitation from sudden cardiac arrest.”
We would encourage any prospective customers to make themselves familiar with the ANZCOR guidelines and make sure that any first aid or emergency training they complete is in line with these guidelines. A full copy of all the ANZCOR Guidelines can be found at https://resus.org.au/guidelines/.
Simple Design and simple to use yet full of advanced technology, is the reason why the CR Plus Defibrillator its so good.
When a person is struck down with a Sudden Cardiac Arrest the rescue scenario should be as simple as possible.
The Lifepack CR Plus does this well with only two steps to get it working.
Firstly turn on the defibrillator
Secondly Attach electrodes to the patient and listen to the voice prompts from the unit.
As a result you have a much less complex unit than other defibrillators, while allowing a rescuer to focus on giving good CPR.
Also the Lifepack CR Plus has a high level of compliance to the ANZCOR / Australian Resussitation Council guidelines.
Compliance to Anzcor guidelines includes;
Fast time to shock, 1 min 33 sec,
Escalating joules therapy and
Default initial energy of 200 joules
The Physio Control Lifepack CR Plus is one of the best entry level units on the market.
Call us now for more information or a quote on this ground breaking new defibrillator.
This defibrillator features some advanced features including WiFi and Cellular Network Communication and promises to be the defibrillator of choice for both inexperienced users and rescue professionals.
As well as meeting the current ANZCOR guidelines and offering a host of features including escalating joules therapy, CPR metronome, cprINSIGHT™ analysis technology, QUIK-STEP™ electrodes as well as being one of the fastest units to shock, this defibrillator is the latest defibrillator to enter the market and is one of the most advanced available today..
Simple Design and simple to use yet full of advanced technology, is the reason why the 