Restart a heart
Defibrillators in Redbridge
There are now 32 easy-to-use defibrillators located in easy to access places across the borough. The defibrillators are available for members of the public to use in emergencies and can be found inside distinctive, yellow cabinets. Each box also contains a bleed control kit, a special type of first aid kit to stop heavy bleeding until medical help arrives.
Find your nearest defibrillator. Always ring 999 in an emergency.
What is a defibrillator?
A defibrillator is a device that works by giving a high energy electric shock to the heart through the chest wall in someone in cardiac arrest. The high energy shock called defibrillation works by restoring the heart to a normal rhythm.
Defibrillators are designed to be used by people with little or no training, guiding the operator through the process by verbal instructions and visual prompts.
They are safe and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart’s rhythm requires it, and can be used on adults and children (over 12 months of age).
Using a defibrillator
Watch the video on how to use a defibrillator from the British Heart Foundation.
What's the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack?
People often think that a cardiac arrest and a heart attack is the same thing, but this is not the case.
A heart attack happens when a clot in the coronary arteries cuts off the blood supplying the heart muscle, in most cases causing chest pain. The heart is still sending blood to the body and the person will be conscious and breathing.
A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body, commonly because of a problem with electrical signals in your heart. When your heart stops pumping blood, your brain is starved of oxygen. This causes you to fall unconscious and stop breathing.
A person having a heart attack has a high risk of experiencing a cardiac arrest.
Both a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are life-threatening medical emergencies and you should call 999 immediately.
In the event that you witness a person in cardiac arrest you should start CPR and on calling 999, ambulance operators will direct you to the nearest defibrillator and provide you with a code to unlock the cabinet so you can access them quickly.
How to maintain a ‘Healthy Heart’
What causes a cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrests are most commonly caused by the abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF) which is where electrical activity of your heart becomes so chaotic that the heart stops pumping and quivers or 'fibrillates' instead.
The most common cause of developing this abnormal heart rhythm is a heart attack. Other heart problems can also cause it including coronary heart disease, enlargement of the heart as part of the condition heart failure and heart valve disease.
Find out how old your heart is
You can lower your risk of developing heart disease by living a healthy lifestyle. This includes:
- Stopping smoking
- A healthy balanced diet
- Exercise regularly - 150 mins of moderate activity a week e.g. brisk walk and cycling
- Cut down alcohol - try not to exceed the limit of 14 alcohol units per week in men and women, or if you drink this amount try and spread it over three days
Other causes of cardiac arrest include heart diseases you are born with, including structural and electrical conduction problems, inflammation of the heart muscle, electrocution, drug overdose, losing a large amount of blood and drowning.
For further information visit the NHS web pages:
Helpful links
It’s helpful to familiarise yourself with where your local defibrillators might be. Find your nearest defibrillator.
If you would like to host a public access defibrillator, you can apply for one with the London Ambulance Charity.
It is important to know how to do basic first aid in an emergency. Knowing things like CPR, the recovery position, and how to stop heavy bleeding, can make a huge difference.
Visit the NHS website and take the time to learn the basics. It might just save someone’s life.
