OVER 600 AUTOMATED external defibrillators (AEDs) by four different manufacturers require urgent updates in Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has warned ahead of the forecasted cold weather.
Owners of AEDs are being urged to check that the recommended safety and maintenance updates on their device have been undertaken.
Irish sporting venues, schools, hotels, restaurants, offices, shopping centres and all individuals who are in possession of an AED are advised to urgently check if their device is one of the following models:
If someone has an affected AED, the HPRA is calling on the owner to contact the manufacturer or the HPRA to ensure it receives all necessary updates.
An estimated 614 AEDs by four different manufacturers require urgent updates in Ireland to ensure they work correctly in an emergency situation. Without these updates, the devices may not work as intended.
As part of the ongoing maintenance of an AED, it important to consider if or when it will need to be replaced as AEDs, like most pieces of equipment, will have an expected lifespan.
At the time of purchase, the manufacturer should be able to provide this information along with details of the warranty period which will help ensure that the AED is kept up to date. Safety-related updates to AEDs are normally offered by manufacturers independent of whether the AED is still under warranty.
“We would urge those in possession of a device which needs to be updated to contact the manufacturer or the HPRA to organise the necessary updates as soon as possible,” Anne Tobin, medical devices vigilance manager of the HPRA said.
This action could be the difference between life and death for whomever next requires treatment with the AED.
“These devices offer an important first response intervention and we know that the majority of cardiac arrests occur outside of the healthcare environment,” Tobin said.
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