We carry two types of defibrillators on our ambulances. The Physiocontrol LifePak-500 and the LifePak-10. We carry the LifePak-500 on our BLS units, and the LifePak-10 on our ALS units.
 LifePak-500 |
 LifePak-10 |
In order to understand what a defibrillator does, one must understand what fibrillation is. There are two types of fibrillation, ventricular and atrial. However, a defibrillator is only used for ventricular fibrillation.
What is Ventricular Fibrillation?
Ventricular fibrillation is a condition in which disordered electrical activity causes the ventricles to contract in a rapid, unsynchronized, uncoordinated fashion. When this occurs, little or no blood is pumped from the heart.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2 million Americans. In it the two small upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them when the heart beats, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of the blood clot in the atria becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.
What does a defibrillator do?
A defibrillator delivers a synchronized electrical discharge to the affected cardiac muscle. When a charge (shock) is administered, 200 joules are delivered. The administered shock resets the electrical signals in the heart and restores a natural cardiac rhythm.
Joules?
A "Joule" is a term for a
"watt-second" or how many watts of electricity is passed in one
second. The Joule was named after James Prescott
Joule. He was a British physicist who established mechanical theory of
heat and discovered the first law of thermodynamics.
We wish to thank the Marshall University Emergency Medical Services for providing the ECG strips.
PhysioControl Website
http://www.medtronicphysiocontrol.com
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