American Heart Association's Chain of Survival featured by Zoll manufacture of AEDs

American Heart Association's Chain of Survival featured by Zoll manufacture of AEDs

At ZOLL, our aim is to improve patient outcomes with innovative resuscitation and acute critical care technology. Our medical products and software solutions help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, lay rescuers, and the military provide lifesaving care every day.

Accordingly, ZOLL products and services support the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival, which identifies a sequence of five critical actions that increase survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and other life-threatening emergencies, such as heart attack, stroke, and foreign body airway obstruction.

In-hospital SCA:

Out-of-hospital SCA:

You don't need to be a trained medical professional to help save a life. As a layperson, having an awareness of SCA and knowing how to respond can make all the difference between life and death.

Links in the Chain of Survival

Recognition and activation of the emergency response system

• Assess the emergency and call 911 or the appropriate response system
• Send someone nearby to retrieve the closest Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Immediate high-quality CPR

• Start performing CPR right away to maintain blood flow to vital organs

Rapid defibrillation

• When the AED arrives, attach the pads to the victim's bare chest, turn the device on, and follow the prompts. A shock will be administered automatically if needed
• Continue administering CPR until emergency personnel arrive

Basic and advanced emergency medical services (out-of hospital SCA)

• Trained and equipped pre-hospital EMS personnel take over treatment, continuing to perform CPR, administering drugs and performing advanced airway procedures and other protocols prior to patient's admission to advanced care facility

Advanced life support and post-arrest care

• Patient receives comprehensive post-SCA treatment in-hospital or at other professional healthcare facility

Beyond the Links

For the best chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, victims should receive CPR and early defibrillation within 3-4 minutes of the cardiac arrest, followed by advanced life support within the first 8 minutes of the arrest.

AHA recommendations:

• All communities should adopt the principle of early defibrillation
• All personnel who are expected to perform basic CPR as part of their professional duties should be equipped with an AED and be trained to operate it
• Health and emergency professionals who have a duty to respond to a person in cardiac arrest should have a defibrillator available immediately, or within 1 to 2 minutes at most

Learn More

For more information on how ZOLL technologies and products enhance the Chain of Survival and help save lives, please click on one of the categories:

EMS/Fire

Hospital

Public Safety