DRONES COULD SOON RESPOND TO CARDIAC ARRESTS

IN the UK, there are more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) annually, but fewer than 10% of people survive.

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Early CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to restart the heart can at least double the chance of survival. AEDs are safe for the public to use, even without training, but it can be difficult for bystanders to locate and retrieve one quickly during an emergency. Researchers at the University of Warwick teamed up with the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and autonomous drone specialists SkyBound for a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) study to test the feasibility of drone-delivered AEDs. They tested using drones to fly defibrillators in response to 999 calls as part of emergency simulations in a remote countryside location where ambulance crews would usually be delayed in reaching by road. Chief Investigator Dr Christopher Smith, University of Warwi