Wednesday September 19, 2001

AEDs to increase chance of heart attack survival, officials say

The UA is installing automated external heart defibrillators in several main campus buildings to enhance the chance of survival for those who may suffer from cardiac arrest.

The University of Arizona is the first large Tucson public entity to install the devices. Pima Community College is currently working on a plan, as is Arizona State University.

"We think we're ahead of the game," said Steve Holland, director of UA Risk Management and Safety, "(AED's) are a growing expectation in public facilities."

Twelve total AED's will be installed in the McKale Center, Student Union Memorial Center, School of Music, Centennial Hall, Bear Down Gymnasium, Robson Tennis Center and Campus Recreation facilities. The facilities have begun training selected staff to operate the devices in case of emergencies, while every campus recreation employee will eventually be trained.

"It's a fairly simple device," said Chelsea Olson, operations assistant for student union facilities management and operations. "We all felt pretty comfortable (using the device) once we were done with the training."

Terence Valenzuela and his colleagues in the UA College of Medicine have been assigned to monitor the devices regularly.

"His role is to ensure that the way we use them is consistent with the current medical practices and recommendations," Holland said.

Each AED is equipped with a data logger, which monitors heart rhythms, the number of shocks and other essential information during and after use. This information can later be converted into a medical report.

"Valenzuela's staff gets a report for the (person's primary-care) physician," Holland said.

Valenzuela has been conducting his own study with AEDs in use at casinos, operated by security guards. In his study, 53 percent of 105 people treated by the security guards survived, while the survival rate jumps to 74 percent for those who were treated within the first three minutes.

Over 300,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year and only about 5 percent survive. After cardiac arrest, for every minute defibrillation is delayed, the chances for survival drops from 7 percent to 10 percent.

While the initial plan does not include installing defibrillators in police vehicles, Holland said he hopes UAPD officers will eventually be trained and their cars equipped with the device.

"We are talking with the UAPD to start training their officers," he said, "We are hoping in the long run to have UAPD be an active part of this program."

Each defibrillator costs $3,000. The UA department of Risk Management bought four of the devices with money from a grant from the state Department of Risk Management.

The UA department bought three more with money from their departmental budget, and the remaining five were purchased by Campus Recreation.