AED – Automatic External Defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm.
O2 – Medical Oxygen
Getting oxygen to the tissues of the body is vital and any interference with this process can affect furture survival and quality of life. The brain, heart and kidneys are particularly sensitive to hypoxia and are at risk when oxygen delivery is treatened by either a respiratory problems reducing gaseous exchange or when circulaition is impaired.
In the pre-hospital situation, little can be done to treat the actual problem causing breathing difficulty. However, the administration of extra oxygen is a simple but important way to counteract the hypoxia that these conditions can cause.
Res-Cue Pump Suction Unit
Res-Cue Pump is a portable, manual, hand-operated emergency suction pump. Suction equipment, if used correctly, can be help to maintin the airway of a pateint for example after regurgitation in the unconscious patient or excess saliva production in patients with impaired swallowing.
OP Airway – Oropharyngeal
An oropharyngeal airway (also known as an oral airway, OPA or Guedel pattern airway) is a medical device called an airway adjunct used to maintain a patent (open) airway. It does this by preventing the tongue from (either partially or completely) covering the epiglottis, which could prevent the patient from breathing. When a person becomes unconscious, the muscles in their jaw relax and may allow the tongue to obstruct the airway; in fact, the tongue is the most common cause of a blocked airway.
BVM – Bag Valve Mask
A bag valve mask (also known as a BVM or Ambu bag) is a hand-held device used to provide positive pressure ventilation to a patient who is not breathing or who is breathing insufficient (respiratory failure) or has ceased completely (respiratory arrest). The BVM resuscitator is used in order to manually provide mechanical ventilation in preference to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (either direct or through an adjunct such as a pocket mask).
