Published on 12th June 2018
As society knowledge and understanding of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and defibrillators are at an ever-high, along with technological advancements, the defibrillator market is bigger and better than ever before.
So, when it comes to purchasing your defibrillator; which one do you go for? There are a few factors that everybody should consider prior to purchasing one; price, IP Rating, semi Vs. fully automatic, battery life, the environment it’s going to be used within and whether the defibrillator needs to have CPR coaching.
Although there can be no price on a life it is a factor that most will have to consider, although it isn’t relative to quality or functionality. Most defibrillators start around the £1,000 mark and raise up to £3,000 for public access devices. Every AED analyses the victim and then, if required, delivers a potential life-saving shock. Although the more expensive an AED is, often the warranty is longer, as is the battery and pad life.
This two-digit value represents the defibrillators ability to tolerate dust and water. A rating of 55 would be a resilient device able to cope with my harsher environments, whereas a device with a rating of 21 would be more suited to a traditional office environment. However, it is always recommended to have the highest possible IP as a precaution. Our defibrillators have a rating of IP54 or above, making them incredibly robust and reliable.
One of the biggest questions when purchasing your defibrillator is to select a full or semi-automatic device. A fully automatic is best suited to those with no training as it will analyse the heart rhythm and if required deliver the shock automatically. Whereas a semi-automatic device will require the user to press the button to deliver the shock. The Lifeline range has the option for either fully or semi-automatic AEDs, dependent on the user’s preference.
Some defibrillators have a CPR coaching facility, whether it be a basic metronome to regular CPR compressions or give verbal feedback on the quality of compressions depends on the device. Most individuals don’t have any or have limited first aid training, for this reason solely, having CPR coaching throughout makes all the difference, in both the treatment given and the confidence to help by passersby. Our flagship product, the Lifeline VIEW is the only AED on the market with a full-colour video screen & audio talk-through, assisting the user during the life-saving treatment, scoring a top score of 100/100 by West Midlands Fire Service.
The battery price greatly values its lifespan. For the occasional user, there is mileage in having a longer life battery as it reduces the regularity of battery replacement. However, for more regular users, such as defibrillator in a public environment, some models are available with rechargeable batteries as an optional extra, increasing initial expense but saving in the longer term.
Martek Lifecare only supplies the market leading defibrillator brand Defibtech. We don’t believe in charging our customers the earth to save people’s lives. Our entire range is competitively priced throughout, with bundles and accessories available for additional value. The Lifeline defibrillator range out competes it competitors in every category, providing cost-effective protection, a rugged & reliable IP rating, the option for CPR coaching, the option for both standard and long-life batteries and provides both fully or semi-automatic shock deliverance.
For more information on any of our products, please contact us for a free consultation.