Automatic Disconnection from a Ventilator in Patients with Severe Concomitant Injury

Abstract

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a most important cause of death. SCA bystander first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) play a key role in helping protect victims. Early defibrillation that can be made just before arrival of a professional rescue service is the optimal intervention. For this, different countries are elaborating public access defibrillation (PAD) programs based on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by nonmedical professionals. Since 2009, the service vehicles of the police of the Czech Republic and the urban police of the city of Prague, which serve its districts, have been provided by AEDs. The use of the latter in a SCA victim was first documented in spring 2010. CPR and defibril-lation were successfully carried out in the victim, which permitted neurological complications to be prevented. There is no question that AEDs can effectively defibrillate in ventricular fibrillation. CPR performed by first-contact persons correctly and successively remains to play a key role. Only if AED is incorporated into the adequately operating system, its use may be of life-saving importance to protect a number of patients. Key words: automated external defibrillation, sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, defibrillation.