Machine costing €3,000 could cut heart attack mortality rate, says charity

THE lives of many heart attack victims could be saved by the increased availability of a low-cost medical device in airports, shopping centres and other public areas.

The public availability of defibrillators, which provide an electric shock to restart the heart, is still too low, according to the cardiac support charity, Croí.

"They're relatively inexpensive to buy around €3,000 each. If you look at it from a public health perspective, I challenge you to find anything else which reduces the mortality rate so easily," said chief executive Neil Johnson.

Croí announced yesterday that it is providing seven defibrillators at seven locations in a €25,000 programme to reduce deaths from cardiac arrest. They will be available in Galway regional airport, Galway shopping centre and in five western towns Tuam, Gort, Corrandulla, Carna and Strokestown.

It is estimated that almost 99% of cardiac arrest victims die before reaching hospital. People trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can maintain oxygen to the brain of the victim but if defibrillators are not available to re-establish a regular heartbeat, the chance of survival decreases up to 10% with every passing minute.

Studies have shown that placing defibrillators in heavily-populated locations such as shopping centres and workplaces can save lives.

Fire officers at Dublin Airport have used them to save two lives, while in a 10-month period at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, travellers using defibrillators saved nine out of 14 people who suffered cardiac arrest.

"Even with the best ambulance service in the world, you won't get to patients in three to five minutes. We would like defibrillators to be as common as fire extinguishers in public places in a decade," said Mr Johnson.

The defibrillator analyses the patient's heart rhythm and uses voice and visual prompts to tell the operator exactly when to administer the electrical shock.

Croí has co-operated with the Western Health Board's ambulance service to train volunteers to operate them in the seven locations and says they are simple enough to be used "by a 12-year-old".

Defibrillators are widely available in cardiac units, emergency ambulances and on some airlines, like Aer Lingus. But their presence is rare in other locations, although yesterday Galway City Council became the first local authority to commit to buying one for its headquarters.

Mr Johnson said private companies could also help save lives by buying the equipment.

"We are telling companies that they often spend €3,000 on something like a laptop, so why not invest in a defibrillator for your workplace?" he said.