Heart Beat: Home defibrillator skills slip away
Heart Beat
Home defibrillator skills slip away
A question we often get from readers is, "Should I buy a home defibrillator?" These shock boxes are the only way to revive someone having a cardiac arrest — the sudden cessation of heartbeats capable of circulating blood. Since up to three-quarters of cardiac arrests happen at home, having a defibrillator at home should save lives. So far, though, there isn't good evidence that they do.
Italian researchers wondered if having a home defibrillator would make families of heart patients feel less anxious. They gave the machines to 33 heart attack survivors along with training for a family member about what to do in case of a cardiac arrest.
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