Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator (AED)
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List Price: Our Price: $1,190.00 You Save: $805.00 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy 3rd Party: from $1,125.00 (click here) Category: Health Care See more product details |
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Customer Reviews of Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator (AED)
Customer Review: Been trained in use for over 3 years
Summary: 5 Stars
I am an ERT member at work where we have had AEDs for over 3 years. I can state with certainty that they are incredibly simple to use and offer the most significant increase in survivability should someone suffer cardiac arrest. In our training however, there is one important point stressed: The machine will deliver a shock only in the case of fibrillation. If the heart is stopped completely these units do not pack enough energy to offer the kind of jolt you seem to see at least twice on every medical TV show. That is a minor limitation, AEDs are a critical part of the four step approach mentioned in another review. 1)Early activation of EMT (911) 2) Early CPR
3) Early defibrillation 4)Early advanced life support. As a citizen you can easily accomplish the first 3 with minimal training and relatively minimal dollars. $1500 is still spendy for something you may never use. If possible you might pool your money with neighbors or family and come up with a plan to keep the AED accessible to all. It might not be used to save your life, but it will feel just as good if it saves someone elses.
Customer Review: I wish this was available 2 years ago
Summary: 5 Stars
August 4 2002 my father, a healthy 54 year old, had a sudden cardiac arrest without any warning or symptoms. It took an ambulance too long to reach him, and despite my mother performing CPR on him he was defibrillated too late and was dead before reaching the hospital.
If something like this was available back then, I would have made sure my parents had it with them. As hard as it is to believe, I had premonitions and nightmares about something like this happening to my dad. Just a year before his death I tried to purchase one from Galls catalog, but they refused to fill the order until I had a physician's prescription, which I couldn't get because my dad was not in a "high risk category"
Now that this is available over-the-counter, I think it would be great to have around. I will be purchasing one as soon as my next tax refund comes in :)While I am a licensed EMT and know how to work a regular defibrillator, an AED has the advantage in that absolutely anyone, without training, can easily use it.
Hoping you never need one...
Katie
Customer Review: I have personally used one!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is probably the only review of using this product on an actual patient. I'm an Advanced EMT, and work at a couple different places. One of them is a casino, and I provide basic life support first-response there. We purchased this defibrillator for the reviews, and the price. I got a call for a guy that wasn't feeling well, so I headed over. Right when I got there, he lurched up, and slumped over. I checked for a pulse, and found none, so I started CPR and hooked up this machine. It advised a shock... zapped him once, and got a pulse back. By the time the ambulance arrived he was conscious and alert.
The machine was very easy to use, very straight forward. The spoken directions were very clear and calm. It helped a lot to have something so calm during such a chaotic time.
Now for having one in your house: if you've got the money, go for it. I don't feel it's as essential as a fire extinguisher or seat belts, but it couldn't hurt. It'll provide a safe sound of mind. I doubt you'll ever use it, but it's still a nice thing to have.
Customer Review: Don't forget CPR and 911
Summary: 5 Stars
I am an EMT-B in California and have used similar devices and was trained on a Philips AED. AEDs and especially this unit are very easy to use but during an emergency the panic of the situation can cloud your thoughts so read the directions before you need to.
I have some advice for anyone buying an AED or considering it:
AEDs are a wonderful invention, but don't forget about CPR. I recommend taking a class on CPR. Not administering CPR immediately reduces the effectiveness of defibrillators and chances of survival.
Though an AED can save someone's life, the doctors in the Emergency Room can make the difference so calling 911 is essential. If you are alone call 911 right when someone `goes down,' even before applying the AED or starting CPR.
*disclaimer: talk to your physician. I am in no way licensed to provide medical advice or practice medicine.
ALWAYS CALL 9 1 1 IN AN EMERGENCY.
Customer Review: Excited to see this product available to average consumers
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a paramedic for 8 years. I have worked on countless cardiac arrest victims. The overall survival rate for victims of cardiac arrest is very low, but EVERY single person that we have successfully been able to revive has been through the use of a defibrilator. Though the comments made by a few others about proper medical care with medications hold some value, the definitive care for a patient in ventricular fibrillation (the most common initial electrical rhythm in cardiac arrest) is defibrilation. That is exactly what this product does. These type of products are essentially fool-proof. Anybody can learn to use one in less than 5 minutes. I strongly urge anyone reading this review to learn CPR and purchase this device. It may be several minutes before I can get to your home while your loved one is laying on the floor with no heartbeat. Give them the best chance of survival that you can.