title: The fully automatic external cardioverter defibrillator: reality of a new meaningful scenario for in-hospital cardiac arrests.
abstract: Sudden cardiac death is an unresolved problem which causes significant mortality and morbidity in both the community and in-hospital setting. Cardiac arrest is often caused by ventricular tachyarrhythmias which may be mostly interrupted by cardioversion or defibrillation. The single most critical factor for survival is the response time. Over the last 30 years, there have been virtually no procedural changes in the way hospitals address in-hospital resuscitation. A unique device has been developed that eliminates human intervention and assures defibrillation therapy is administered in seconds. This is accomplished with a fully automatic, external bedside monitor defibrillator designed to be prophylactically attached to hospitalized patients at risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The safety and efficacy of the device has been demonstrated in multicenter US and European trials. Thus, this device allows a new scenario which may increase survival and enables meaningful redistribution of health resources.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Sabadell, Department of Cardiology, Fund. Universitaria Parc Taulí, Parc Taulí s/n, E-08208 Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain. 22917amr@comb.es
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Rubio
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gusi
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guillaumet
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cazorla
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galán
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bagà
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guilera
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonastre
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raimón Gumà
authors.forename: Ignaci
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Anguera
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibars
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochagavia
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mestre
authors.forename: Juli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Font
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saura
authors.forename: Martí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dalmases
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blanch
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Artigas
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D047548:Defibrillators; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005060:Europe; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States