Defibrillator

As people age, one of the biggest health concerns is the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular related disease is the leading cause of death in the World and the United States. If you are having heart problems, it may be a good idea to consider having a defibrillator in your home or business to ensure you are prepared if something were to happen. What are defibrillators? What do they do? These are good questions and ones you should be able to answer before you consider buying a defibrillator. After all, they aren’t cheap so it would be wise to know exactly what you are getting yourself into. If you do find you need a defibrillator, the first step is considering the cost and the type that would work best for you.

What is a Defibrillator?

Most people know that the heart “beats.” What they don’t know is exactly how that happens and for what reason. Our bodies need blood to survive. They need blood for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons they do is because our cells need oxygen. Every time we breathe, we are taking oxygen into our lungs. This oxygen, by way of the lungs and blood vessels, is making its way into our blood. This blood then needs to be pumped to the rest of our bodies, from our head all the way to our toes. It must get everywhere to allow the cells to survive and grow. The heart is the organ that allows this transport. The heart is a pump and the beating of the heart creates this pumping motion, leading to the movement of blood throughout the body.

This beating is caused by an electrical signal in your heart. This is where the defibrillator comes in. When the heart has a problem related to cardiovascular disease, sometimes this electrical signal can get out of whack. This can lead to something called fibrillation, which is where the signal is not in normal rhythm. The defibrillator, when used, sends a new signal to the heart, working to “de-fibrillate” the current faulty signal, effectively resetting it.

Using a Defibrillator

What one must understand is that defibrillators are not toys. They are not a quick fix. They don’t always work when someone is having a heart attack or any other heart failure. They will only work when the problem of fibrillation (or something closely related) is happening. They can be very effective in this way. Some defibrillators are only meant to be used in a hospital by a doctor. These are not the defibrillators you would want (assuming you are not a healthcare professional) to use. Instead, you would want to get a defibrillator that was made to be used by those that aren’t well versed in the technology and physiology of the heart. When shopping for a defibrillator, think about this and make sure to only look for defibrillators that will fit your needs, whatever those needs are. You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a piece of medical equipment you don’t need or know how to use!

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