3 life-saving reasons to have a home defibrillator

Portable, easy-to-use automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) are proven lifesavers. In the hands of fast-thinking yet untrained citizens, they've jump-started the hearts of thousands of victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Now you can buy them for your home. Here are reasons why you should.

AEDs in public places triple the odds of surviving sudden cardiac arrest. Unlike a heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest happens when the heart's electrical activity is disrupted and the heartbeat becomes perilously rapid or dangerously out of rhythm. It kills hundreds of thousands of people each year, and most people are home when it strikes. Your survival odds are nearly 100 percent if an AED delivers lifesaving electrical shocks within two minutes, but drop by seven to 10 percent with each passing minute.  Since emergency medical crews may take 10 minutes or more to reach you, it makes sense in theory to have an AED at home if someone in your household is at risk for cardiac arrest.

CPR also saves lives and at less cost. The difference is someone close by needs to be trained in CPR when cardiac arrest hits. With AED no training is required. The devices do work and are a life saver. Having one in your home can be expensive, and experts argue the money could be better spent elsewhere (on CPR training, for instance).

AEDs have easy-to-follow directions. Studies show that sixth graders and senior citizens age 60 and older can successfully use them, though medical groups still recommend everyone in your household receive training. The machine confirms a victim's cardiac arrest and won't shock someone whose heart is still beating.You must also remember to call for an ambulance as soon as possible.

If you have an AED at home, it's important to keep up with safety advisories and recalls. Just as crucial is ensuring that your AED has fresh batteries and is accessible — retrieving it from the back of a closet or the depths of the basement wastes precious time.