HYDERABAD: Heart specialists on Sunday called for mandatory installation of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at airports, railway stations and other public places across the country to prevent fatalities caused by heart rhythm disorders.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of a national workshop on `Atrial Fibrillation Ablation and Basic Electrophysiology' here, V.S. Ramchandra, arrhythmia specialist of Global Hospitals and Benzy Padanilam, consultant cardiologist, Care Group, Indiana (US), said 5 to 10 per cent of the population suffer from symptoms of arrhythmia (irregular heart beats).

They said most of the cardiac deaths were caused by arrhythmia. Such deaths could occur among persons with family history, due to rhythm disorder caused by heart attack or due to heart failure (as a result of less pumping of blood).

Permanent cure

In such cases, AEDs could help save a patient. An AED, which costs Rs.3 lakhs, automatically detected arrhythmia and delivered shock.

They said treatment of arrhythmia with ablation procedures would provide a permanent cure to rhythm disorders.

Dr. Benzy and other specialists demonstrated latest techniques in diagnosing/treating atrial fibrillation at the workshop.

Atrial fibrillation refers to abnormally fast and highly irregular heart beat caused by malfunctioning of heart's upper chambers, atria. Clot caused due to atrial fibrillation could trigger a stroke or death through heart attack.

Ablation is a process by which the abnormal heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats is destroyed.

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