St. Luke’s donates defibrillators to Cedar Rapids police

St. Luke's Health Care Foundation is donating 50 automated external defibrillators to the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 294,000 Americans annually experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. CPR and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator more than doubles a victim's chance of survival.

Terry Whitney of Cedar Rapids attended Tuesday's announcement to say he received CPR from his daughter, Erica Whitney-Kearns, and son-in-law, Josh Kearns, when he collapsed two years ago, until police arrived with an AED.

“I feel blessed there was an AED in the squad car that showed up at my home,” he said.

Sudden cardiac arrest is usually caused by an electrical malfunction of the heart called ventricular fibrillation.

The heart muscle quivers and is unable to pump blood through the body. Once the blood stops circulating, a person quickly loses consciousness and the ability to breathe. Defibrillation is the only effective treatment for ventricular fibrillation.

St. Luke's is donating the Cardiac Science G3 Plus AEDs from Code Red LLC of Chicago. Each of the 50 AEDs come equipped with adult and pediatric chest pads.

Unlike the models of defibrillators intended for use by health care professionals, AEDs do not require extensive medical knowledge to understand or operate.

The expertise needed to analyze the heart's electrical function is programmed into the device, enabling non-medical professionals to respond to cardiac emergencies.

AEDs provide clear voice prompts and screen displays that instruct the user to attach electrodes and then stay clear while the device analyzes the patient's heart rhythm. If the AED's computer determines the patient's heart is in a shockable rhythm, the rescuer is again prompted to remain clear of the patient while defibrillation shock is delivered.