AutoPulse helps save lives of heart attack patients


A new device can assist Baptist Hospital East staff in saving a patient who suddenly goes into cardiac arrest – administering effective, consistent compressions to move more blood to the heart and brain.

The device, called AutoPulse, is used to respond to incidents in which the patient is having a heart attack. AutoPulse, more often used by first responders such as paramedics, is a hands-free, portable device consisting of a backboard and a simple LifeBand® which fastens across the patient’s chest and adjusts to the size of the patient.

AutoPulse begins rhythmic chest compressions, freeing up nearby medical staff to focus on other interventions. It automatically calculates the patient’s shape and size for maximum compressions. It is not for use with very large patients or pediatric patients.

Manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation doesn’t always get the job done. Even well-trained staff can only give effective chest compressions for so long before tiring.

Plus, the quality of manual chest compressions can vary due to the training, experience and physical characteristics of both the rescuer and heart attack patient.

Since it’s portable, AutoPulse is used to respond to all heart attack calls at Baptist East. One unit is housed in ICU; the other in the Emergency Department.