Philips HeartStart Home Owner's Manual page 8

children than for adults. Talk to your
doctor about your risk factors.
The Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator
is used to treat VF by sending a shock
across the heart, so it can start beating
regularly again. Unless this is successful
within the first few minutes after the heart
stops beating, the victim is not likely to
survive.
SCA is not the same as a heart
though sometimes a heart attack can lead
to SCA. If you feel the signs of a heart
2
attack — such as pain, pressure, or a
squeezing feeling in your chest or anywhere
in your upper body, shortness of breath,
and stomach upset — you should call
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) right
away and also call your doctor.
For people with certain medical conditions
who are likely to suffer SCA, an implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may be
advised. The HeartStart is not intended as a
attack, even
substitute for an ICD. Your doctor can tell
you if an ICD might be right for you.