Paragem cardiorrespiratória: os cardiodesfibrilhadores automáticos externos podem mesmo ajudar?

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death all over the world. The first manifestation of cardiovascular disease is frequently a sudden cardiac arrest. It is well known that the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest decreases dramatically with a longer time between its recognition and the arrival of emergency medical services. Early recognition, cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers and defibrillation are crucial to a good outcome. To improve the survival rates of sudden cardiac arrest, when it occurs in crowded public places (such as airports, shopping centers, sports venues or big schools), far from emergency medical services (more than 5 minutes according to American Heart Association guidelines), it is crucial to quickly help the victim after the recognition of sudden cardiac arrest. Public places must have a defined emergency plan in order to respond effectively to these situations and it must include access to an automated external defibrillator, easily available to use when the victim presents with a shockable rhythm (such as ventricular fibrillation). A great number of countries have introduced in its laws public access defibrillator programs in order to improve survival rates of witnessed sudden cardiac arrest in public places, providing a faster access to defibrillators, ensuring the development of emergency plans and training of lay people as well as community in general. Although some modifications in law have been already done by Portuguese legislators in the past, Portugal is still far behind other countries in terms of development of public access defibrillator programs and its application.