Providence, R.I.--The Providence College Office of Safety and Security has purchased and activated 15 state-of-the-art automated external defibrillators (AED).

 In the event that a member of the campus community or a visitor experiences a possible sudden cardiac arrest, this device is designed to analyze the heart's rhythm for any abnormalities and, if necessary, directs the responder to deliver an electrical shock to the victim.

Although the College already had eight AEDs on campus, Koren Kanadanian, director of emergency management, said those devices were replaced by the new, more technologically advanced mobile and wall-mounted apparatus.

"We needed to upgrade because the technology has come so far," Kanadanian said.

To date, the units-similar to a fire extinguisher--have been mounted in the Office of Safety and Security, the St. Thomas Aquinas Priory-Gragnani Dominican Center, the Physical Plant office, the Peterson Recreation Center, Schneider Arena, the Student Health Center, and the Concannon Fitness Center.

According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest kills approximately 365,000 people in the United States alone each year. As many as 50 percent of cardiac arrest victims have no prior indication of heart disease.

When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, an AED-administered electrical shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm of its own. A microprocessor inside the defibrillator interprets the victim's heart rhythm through adhesive electrodes.

The computer analyzes the heart rhythm and advises the operator whether a shock is needed. If a shock is needed, the electric current is delivered through the victim's chest wall through the adhesive electrode pads.

The chance of a victim's survival decreases by 10 percent for every minute that passes, so in order to be effective, defibrillation treatment must be administered within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.

The new defibrillators, which are manufactured by Cardiac Science, are portable units that are designed for easy use by responders who have received training in CPR and AED skills, Kanadanian said. "Once you open the case, voice instructions will talk you through the whole process," Kanadanian said.

According to the American Heart Association, the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest is extremely low; however, use of an AED can help to increase the survival rate. 

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