Deaths from cardiovascular diseases rank first among all diseases, of which sudden cardiac death accounts for at least 50%. 95% of such incidents occur outside the hospital, with a survival rate of less than 1%. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) play an important role in out-of-hospital first aid as medical devices that can be used by non-specialists.
AED has been introduced into China for more than ten years, but there are still problems such as less allocation, unreasonable distribution, and the public will not use it or dare not use it. The lack of first aid exemption regulations also greatly limits the success rate of pre-hospital first aid, so it is urgent to introduce AED-related regulations and legislate to protect rescuers.
Yang Jiefu, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and director of the Department of Cardiology of Beijing Hospital, suggested:
Increase the number of AEDs to ensure a reasonable layout. Based on the principle that the first witness can obtain an AED in 3 to 5 minutes and rush to the patient's side, AEDs are given priority in schools, airports, high-speed rail stations, bus stations, subway stations, stadiums, large supermarkets, department stores, movie theaters, playgrounds and other crowded and large-flowing places, and marked with conspicuous signs.
Medical societies and associations jointly develop unified AED use standards and procedures. Training of all staff in the unit where the AED is placed; Expand the scope of public training and gradually achieve the mastery of CPR skills for all people, and proficiency in the use of AEDs.
Improve the awareness rate of AED and popularize the awareness of first aid. Surveys show that many citizens do not know what AEDs are and what they are used for. It is necessary to strengthen publicity and education, make full use of the government and professional societies, so that the community, public areas, and hospitals can form a unified body, so that the public can truly assume the important responsibility of emergency care at the scene of cardiac arrest, grasp the "golden 4 minutes" of emergency care, and cooperate with the professional pre-hospital emergency of 120 and chest pain centers to improve the success rate and survival rate of cardiac arrest patients.
Introduce relevant exemption laws to protect those who are treated. There is now a widespread concern in society that although the success of out-of-hospital treatment will be happy, if the rescue fails, it may be held legally responsible. If there is a corresponding exemption law, it can dispel the worries of the rescuer. Let the first aid exemption from liability move from the current legal common sense to the social consensus, strengthen the interpretation and publicity of relevant cases, so that more and more people can calmly lend a helping hand when others suddenly fall ill. ▲