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This week on Healthwatch, we've been talking about surviving heart attacks or helping others survive by noticing the symptoms and performing CPR. Previously, we discussed how people who aren't trained in CPR can be guided to do chest compressions until help arrives. But there's another increasingly common way for bystanders to help heart attack victims.
Portable defibrillators are becoming more and more available in public places like airports, airplanes, office buildings and shopping malls.
Dr. Jose Joglar, a cardiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, compares the devices to fire extinguishers: They're placed in strategic locations, and either trained professionals or laypeople can use them in an emergency. These devices analyze heart rhythms, then deliver a shock to return the heart to normal rhythm if appropriate.
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May 2005
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