CellAED. Can we all have a lifesaving piece of equipment in our pocket?

Cardiac Arrest. Every second is crucial when someone's heart is not beating and their vital organs are starved of blood and oxygen.?

Even with little to no training, a confident bystander can quickly and confidently act. All you need to remember is Call, Push, Shock.?

Call 000.?

Push. Commence chest compressions immediately.?

Shock with a defibrillator.?

Nobody ever thinks they are going to be that person who finds another in cardiac arrest. No one thinks they are the person that will be asked to provide life-saving care, but in reality, 55 people are going into cardiac arrest?every day?in Australia. These are the worst-case scenarios that we hope we never have to be in, but wouldn't you rather possess the skills and never have to use them rather than skip out on first aid training and not know what to do when your sister, dad, best friend or colleague goes into cardiac arrest.?

Effective CPR is taught thoroughly in first aid training after the basics of the primary survey are covered. This will allow a bystander to safely approach the scene, work methodically through the primary survey and recognise an unconscious and abnormally breathing patient requiring immediate CPR. Commencement of high-quality CPR should be followed by the application of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator).?

What is an AED & what is it looking for??

It is a portable electronic device. It is placed onto the chest of someone in cardiac arrest to analyse their heart rhythm and determine whether it is a shockable or non-shockable rhythm. If they are in a shockable rhythm, an electric shock will be delivered to their heart with the goal of the heart being stopped and reasserting itself into a normal rhythm. This electrical shock will increase their chance of survival by 70% if applied to their chest within 3-5 minutes of them going into cardiac arrest.?

But how do I locate a defibrillator??

Always look for a love heart with a lightning bolt down the centre. It will be green, red or even black. This symbol, labelled with AED, tells you there is a defibrillator at this location.?

Despite the proven benefits of early defibrillation in cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), there are still some barriers that can prevent the quick application of a defibrillator. Some of these barriers include:

1. Lack of access to AEDs: Although AEDs are becoming more common in public places such as airports, shopping centres and sporting clubs, there are still many areas where they are not readily available in the critical minutes after cardiac arrest occurs. This can be especially true in rural or low-income areas. Defibrillators are often poorly accessible outside of business hours behind a locked door.?
2. Lack of awareness and education: Many people do not know how to use an AED or recognise the signs that someone is in cardiac arrest. This can lead to a delay in treatment or even prevent people from using an AED when one is available.
3. Fear of legal liability: Some people may hesitate to use an AED because they fear causing harm or being sued if something goes wrong. Good Samaritan laws can provide protection when an individual acts appropriately when volunteering their help as a first responder. It is a reminder to call for emergency services when advanced care is required, and the call taker will provide further instructions and advice.?
4. Cost: The cost of AEDs can be a barrier for some organisations or individuals. Although prices have come down in recent years, you can still expect to pay in excess of $2000 in Australia.?
5. Maintenance: AEDs require regular maintenance, including battery and electrode pad replacement. Without proper maintenance, the device may not function properly when required in a life-threatening situation.?
6. Cultural and language barriers: In some communities, cultural and language barriers may make it difficult to educate people about the use of AEDs or recognise the signs of sudden cardiac arrest due to the delivery of first aid training, most likely being in English.?

I want you to picture this. It's a beautiful summer afternoon in the park, and you are surrounded by your loved ones enjoying a BBQ. Kids are playing, and the adults are sitting around the picnic table, sharing stories and laughter. You look over to the BBQ and see your dad gripping the edge of the bench, trying to support themselves while clutching at their chest with their other hand. As you approach your dad, you see them collapse. You confidently conduct the primary survey to find they are unconscious and not breathing normally. You commence CPR immediately. By this time, other members of your family and bystanders have stopped to assist. You task them with locating a defibrillator. Are you able to tell them exactly where to go to find the closest defibrillator? Now imagine the number of minutes it will take for that bystander to locate that defibrillator, get there, bring it back to the patient and apply it to their chest. Remembering this all has to be done safely without getting into a vehicle and introducing more danger to the situation.?

So what if you didn't have to search for a defibrillator in those first critical minutes? What if you had a device slightly larger than an iPhone in your bag that had up to 45 minutes' worth of electric shocks?

This is where CellAED is introduced. The world's first handheld defibrillator. An ultra-portable, fully automatic, single-use defibrillator small enough to be carried in your pocket.?

It is as easy as Snap. Peel. Stick. It is suitable for both adults & children with a simple adjustment in the placement of the pad location and the push of a button into paediatric mode.?

CellAED was created when the founder was in a position where they were a customer for a product that didn't exist. Their partner, Sarah, went into cardiac arrest in their home, where CPR was performed for over 40 minutes before they were successfully resuscitated.?

CellAED is designed to be simple and easy to use, even by people without medical training. The visual cues are easy to read & follow to quickly snap the device open, peel the adhesive lining off and stick the electrode pads to the patient's chest. The device is equipped with sensors that detect whether a person is in cardiac arrest and can deliver an electrical shock to the heart if necessary. The device also provides voice instructions to guide the user through the steps of the rescue process.

Currently, only 2 out of 100 people in cardiac arrest receive a defibrillator from a bystander. Ambulance Victoria and St John Ambulance New Zealand are trying to combat this through a joint initiative between the ambulance services with a world-first trial called The First Responder Shock Trial (FIRST). Both ambulance services utilise the GoodSAM app to alert their volunteers that someone is in cardiac arrest in close proximity to the location of the volunteer. This volunteer is trained in CPR and the application of a defibrillator and will attend the scene to assist in providing high-quality care until paramedics arrive. It is already well-documented that early defibrillation can help double or even triple the survival rates for cardiac arrest. This trial aims to further increase out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates by decreasing the time it takes responders to start CPR and apply a defibrillator.

In this FIRST trial, responders using the GoodSAM app will be equipped with a CellAED device when responding to cardiac arrests in the community before ambulance arrival. This trial will look at the significance these defibrillators will have on survival rates in the event of cardiac arrest outside of the hospital.?

CellAED is a far more accessible defibrillator as it will only cost the individual a one-off payment of $499 to purchase the device. You can choose to opt in for the ongoing support & replacement service for $557, which is made up of a one-off payment of $359 and an annual cost of $198 for automatic replacement and maintenance checks.?

While nothing can be done about the unpredictability of cardiac arrest, we can do everything in our power to ensure bystanders are ready to step up and act confidently in the event of sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. This is achieved by getting people into high-quality first aid training, having access to affordable defibrillators at all hours of the day and being equipped with the confidence to step up and give this person the best possible chance at survival, knowing any effort made will be better than none.