Philips Electronics announced the introduction of its Philips HeartStart FR3 automated external defibrillator (AED) in the USA for professional responders who treat victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac death is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming nearly 300,000 lives each year. Defibrillation is recognised as the only definitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation. While cardiopulmonary resuscitation may help prolong the window of survival, cardiopulmonary resuscitation alone cannot restore a normal cardiac rhythm. After 10 minutes without defibrillation, few attempts to resuscitate a sudden cardiac attack victim are successful.
According to the company, the HeartStart FR3 significantly reduces deployment time by eliminating steps to help responders start delivery of the right therapy-CPR or defibrillation- on the patient faster. The FR3 automatically powers on when the Philips HeartStart FR3 carry case is opened. The device also features easy to access, pre-connected peel and place pads that do not require opening a foil pouch. These unique features help speed therapy delivery.
The HeartStart FR3 includes several innovations designed to make it easier for professional responders to treat sudden cardiac attacks, including a bright, high-resolution, color LCD that provides visible prompts for easier use in noisy environments; a cardiopulmonary resuscitation metronome that keeps the beat for consistent chest compressions; and bilingual configurability so that voice and text prompts can be clearly understood by a variety of responders.
“Philips helped chart the course for widespread use of AEDs among lay people and professional responders, and the HeartStart FR3 demonstrates Philips’ continued commitment to innovation,” said Bob Peterhans, general manager, AED, for Philips Healthcare. “The HeartStart FR3 is raising the bar for AEDs and is designed to address the evolving needs of professional responders, so they can respond to patients swiftly and with confidence.”
