Let's Give the Heart a Jolt: The AED Project by Unipd and Suem on Defibrillators and Life-Saving Techniques
24.01.2025
Every year, in Italy, 60,000 people die from cardiac arrest. Among these, over a thousand are young individuals under the age of 35: lives cut short by a sudden and fatal arrhythmic event, often occurring during a sports competition, an evening with friends, or even in the classroom. In many cases, fatal arrhythmias are the first manifestation of a heart condition in seemingly healthy individuals.
Statistics reveal a dramatic fact: only 8% of people affected by cardiac arrest survive. However, survival can rise to 46% when a defibrillator is used promptly and even reach 93% if the event occurs in a sports facility equipped with defibrillators and adequately trained personnel. These numbers unequivocally demonstrate that, in the event of cardiac arrest, the only hope of saving a life lies in immediate intervention with first aid techniques and early defibrillation.
Based on these premises, the project "Let's Give the Heart a Jolt" was born, a virtuous synergy between the University of Padua and the SUEM 118 Operations Center – University Hospital Company of Padua. The project aims to draw the public's attention to the importance of prompt intervention and the conscious use of defibrillators to save lives.
To improve knowledge about defibrillation devices and first aid techniques, an informative video has been created providing clear instructions on how to act in the event of cardiac arrest. The video features personnel from the Suem 118 Operations Center, Aulss 6 Veneto, and a group of students from the Nursing degree program at the University of Padua.
The AED project can be summarized in four words: provision, distribution, maintenance, knowledge.
In fact, although the University of Padua already has defibrillators, to effectively prevent sudden death it is necessary to expand and widely distribute these devices, especially considering the increasing spread of courses in peripheral locations and the constant rise in enrollment. Ensuring an adequate provision of AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) is essential to protect not only the academic community but also the general public. Starting from the University of Padua, the aim is to create a life-saving network.
Spreading knowledge of first aid techniques and the use of AEDs within the population, while strengthening the sense of ethical responsibility towards others, is an ambitious challenge. However, teamwork, combining different skills and expertise, is the key to success.
In this direction, the fundraising initiative “La Rete del Dono” has been launched by professors, students of the Nursing degree program, with the support of the degree program and the School of Medicine and Surgery. To date, over 7,000 euros have been raised, sufficient to purchase two defibrillators, which will be donated to the University. This initiative, carried out in collaboration with Geca Onlus, aims to reduce the incidence of sudden fatal events through the widespread distribution of AEDs. Alongside the fundraising, Nursing students also promote training activities to raise awareness and prepare people for the use of these life-saving devices.
