Drones could speed up delivery of automated external defibrillators to patients suffering cardiac arrest
Drones could be used to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to people experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to a study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress.
This study, presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress, suggests that drones could significantly speed up the delivery of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). AEDs can be sparse, particularly in rural areas or congested urban environments, leading to delays in defibrillation, which is crucial for survival, as every minute of delay reduces the chances of survival.
The research utilized data on OHCA in seven departments of Île-de-France, excluding central Paris, to simulate three strategies. They estimated the time needed for an AED to arrive at the center of each administrative unit called IRIS (Ilots Regroupés pour l'Information Statistique) under each strategy. They also evaluated potential drone deployment locations, including existing AED sites, mobile intensive care units, and fire stations.
Results showed that AED access varied greatly, with shortages in rural areas and on Paris' outskirts. Adding 1,712 more AEDs to the existing 1,893 would improve access but required extensive additional resources. The study found that deploying drones significantly reduced AED waiting times, with the hybrid strategy (combining fixed AEDs and drones) cutting AED access times by an average of 3.76 minutes across all IRIS units.
Using 200 drone bases and 871 fixed AED sites could extend AED coverage to nearly all OHCA cases (28,349 cases), achieving a coverage rate of 99.4%. The researchers estimate that drones could deliver AEDs to more than 95% of OHCA cases within five minutes, compared to only 30% to 40% of cases with existing fixed AED locations via road networks. Dr. Hillary Minka, an emergency physician, emphasized that drones could represent an additional link in the chain of survival, making defibrillation more quickly available.
However, the study is a simulation and does not account for real-world constraints like congestion, weather, or regulatory issues. It also highlights the importance of public training in CPR and AED use, regardless of the presence of drones.
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