If you are interested in the vast  and wonderful world of heart healthcare like CPR and how to assist someone with life support in an emergency congratulations to thinking about others.  To help you with our Lifesavers, Inc. 25+ years of experience we thought it would be helpful to give you definitions and an overview of the main forms of training there are to prepare you at work, home or when you are out.

Here are the main terms and trainings for your reference:

• AED

AED is the shorthand name (acronym) for the term, an automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is a portable electrical device that automatically can diagnose the life- threatening potential of a heart attack.  The more technical terms is a cardiac arrhythmia od ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a heart attack victim.  The AED has the potential to treat the patient through defibrillation, via the application of electrical therapy with the AED which can stop the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm.

With simple audio and/or visual commands, AEDs are specifically designed to be simple to use for the average person.  At Lifesavers we offer the best AED’s on the market and you can see the options here.  The use of AED’s is taught in Lifesavers,Inc  in many first aid, certified first responder, basic life support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes.

• CPR

CPR is shorthand for CardioPulmonary Resuscitation.  CPR is an emergency procedure that is performed in an effort to manually preserve  life by helping keep intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in  cardiac arrest.   

CPR involves chest compressions for adults at a specific depth and speed to help keep the persons heart in movement while in cardiac arrest.   Current recommendations place emphasis on high-quality chest compressions over artificial respiration.

• HandsFree AED

Lifesavers, Inc. with Defibtech is proud to introduce the Lifeline ARM Automated Chest Compression (ACC) device.  This is a mechanical solution when effective manual CPR is not possible.  This can happen when there is a shortage of trained personnel or during a time when additional care is needed while a patient is in transport.

• Basic Life Support (BLS)

This is an important training course to learn about how to provide basic life support. Through case-based scenarios, interactive activities and videos, this course teaches the concepts of both single-rescuer and team basic life support.

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

If you are a health care provider you can enhance your skills in treating adult victims of cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies, while earning your American Heart Association ACLS (AHA ACLS) for Healthcare Providers Course Completion Card.

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support for Experienced Providers

This course has been measured to improve outcomes in complex cardiovascular, respiratory and other (i.e. toxicologic or metabolic) emergencies by expanding on a care givers core ACLS guidelines and encouraging critical thinking and decision-making strategies. Through instruction and active participation in case-based scenarios, learners enhance their skills in the differential diagnosis and treatment of prearrest, arrest and postarrest patients.

Hopefully these definitions will help you as you determine what life support, emergency training or CPR courses you may want to consider.  You can see when we are offering these classes now in our event calendar  or call us at 866-641-1200.   We welcome you to all the great trainings for CPR, ACLS training, BLS training, first aid supplies and courses we provide at Lifesavers, Inc.