Prompt response with a defibrillator means the difference between life and death when a person goes into out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The crucial response time for the best chance of restoring the person’s heartbeat is measured in minutes, Many offices, large retail stores, schools, restaurants, and other public buildings have easy-to-use automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in cabinets or cases affixed to a wall. We have written about AED locator apps such as AEDMap that can help a volunteer responder find, carry, and use a defibrillator in time to save the victim’s life.
But what about cardiac arrest in people’s homes? According to the CDC, approximately 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home. In 2015, we wrote about Zoll Medical’s LifeVest defibrillator, a halter-style device that can detect dangerous heart rhythms and deliver an appropriate shock to restore normal sinus rhythm. The LifeVest does not help with cardiac arrest, however. This year at CES 2023, Paris-based Lifeaz showcased the eponymous LifeAz defibrillator for cardiac arrest for home use.
The Lifeaz case measures approximately 6 inches square by one inch tall and weighs about 3 pounds. A battery rated for 5 years powers the defibrillator. The only required maintenance is to replace electrodes after 2.5 years. The device plays audio instructions in French, German, or English to anyone helping the person with cardiac arrest. Lifeaz has provided more than 10,000 units used in homes and companies since the 2021 launch, the company says. Lifeaz also claims the home defibrillator has saved 16 lives, ranging from a 3-year-old child to an 83-year-old woman.
The Lifeaz is currently CE marked for sale in Europe, where it costs 999 euros to purchase or 35.99 euros to rent per month. Lifeaz expects to market the home defibrillator in the U.S. by 2024, pending FDA approval.
