August 13, 2008–REDMOND, WA–The International Space Station (ISS) is now equipped with the first automated external defibrillator (AED) in space. The AED will be available for NASA crew members should someone experience sudden cardiac arrest in space.

The ISS has utilized manual defibrillators in the past, but NASA decided to now deploy an AED because it requires less training and maintenance, better enabling astronauts to respond to a medical emergency. The small size and light weight of the device also help minimize hardware mass and volume onboard the Space Station.

NASA's Medical Operations personnel evaluated the use of the AED in zero gravity conditions aboard a NASA DC-9 test aircraft as part of developing their advanced life support use protocols.

Source: Physio-Control

August 14, 2008–MANILA, Philippines–To combat the high incidence of death by cardiac arrest in the country, a lawmaker has filed a bill seeking the mandatory teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in public and private secondary schools.

In a statement on Thursday, Alliance for Rural Concerns partylist representative Narciso Santiago III said he filed House Bill 4422 because there is a need to teach young people CPR as most cases of cardiac arrests happen at home.

The CPR is an emergency medical procedure for people whose hearts have stopped due to cardiac arrest caused by heart attack, gas poisoning, drug overdose, head injury, drowning, suffocation, and electric shock, among others.