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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Sandra Fryhofer
Aired November 16, 2002 - 09:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: OK, good news, everyone. This week for people at risk of heart attack, the federal government has approved the use of an at-home defibrillator to jump-start the heart when it suddenly stops beating. Nearly a quarter million Americans die each year of sudden cardiac arrest, most of them at home. And those hoping to buy the $2,300 device must secure a doctor's prescription.
Joining me now to talk more about cardiac arrest and at-home heart starter is internist Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.
Good morning, Dr. Sandy, how are you?
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, INTERNIST: Hi, Arthel, fine.
NEVILLE: Nice to see you.
FRYHOFER: Thanks.
NEVILLE: You know, first of all, we're talking about a device to use at home. Why is it so important to use this defibrillator at home?
FRYHOFER: Well, Arthel, this is a deadly problem. Sudden cardiac arrest causes so many deaths each year. It causes about 450,000 deaths each year. About half of these, about 250,000, occur at home, actually outside of the hospital. And most of these, about 70 percent, occur at home.
Now, most of the time, it's caused by a heart condition called ventricular fibrillation, in which the heart begins to beat erratically, to quiver, and so it can't pump bloody effectively, so the body can't get the oxygen it needs to function. Now, time is so important here, because if left untreated, this condition can lead to death even if CPR is started immediately, unless the defibrillator is used to shock the heart and get it back into a regular rhythm.
And Arthel, we have one of these at-home devices
(CROSSTALK)
NEVILLE: You know, before we go, I wanted to ask you, as I'm thinking about this, this I very important, but $2,300 is a lot of money. Is this covered by the -- an insurance -- your insurance?
FRYHOFER: We don't know that yet. We don't know that yet. But let's take a look at it.
NEVILLE: OK, yes.
FRYHOFER: And then we can talk about some of those details.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: And you can see if you think it's worth the $2,300. How's that?
NEVILLE: I'm sure it is, to save a life. Go ahead, Dr. Sandy.
FRYHOFER: OK. It comes in its own little kit. And here, let's pretend like we're at home.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: A family member has collapsed.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: This is our cousin Andy.
NEVILLE: All right, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
FRYHOFER: We're going to go get the defibrillator. It's in a small little kit, it's portable, there are no cords.
NEVILLE: Batteries?
FRYHOFER: Battery operated. This battery will provide 300 shocks, will last for four years. And let's put it in. And it will talk to us, and it's going to tell us what to do.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Training. In case of emergency, remove the training cartridge. Begin by removing all clothing from the patient's chest.
FRYHOFER: OK, Arthel...
NEVILLE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
MECHANIZED VOICE: Cut, look carefully at the pictures on the white adhesive pads. Peel one pad from the yellow plastic liner.
FRYHOFER: OK, and it's telling us where to put it. So I'm going to let you place it...
MECHANIZED VOICE: Look carefully at the pictures on the white adhesive pads.
FRYHOFER: Now, take a look at it and place it on the chest.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Place pad exactly as shown in the picture.
NEVILLE: Here? Is this good? MECHANIZED VOICE: Press firmly to patient's...
FRYHOFER: All right.
NEVILLE: Or there?
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... bare skin.
NEVILLE: Little bit lower. OK, good.
FRYHOFER: Yes, all right, that's important stuff, OK.
OK, here is the next one.
NEVILLE: Let's see where this one is, right here.
MECHANIZED VOICE: When the first pad is in place, look carefully at the picture on the second pad. Peel the second pad from the yellow...
NEVILLE: Here?
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... plastic liner. Place pad, press pads firmly to patient's bare skin.
NEVILLE: OK.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient.
FRYHOFER: That's because you don't want to get shocked.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Analyze it.
FRYHOFER: It's listening -- it's checking the patient's heart, it's telling -- it's going to tell us what the heart is doing.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient. Analyzing.
FRYHOFER: It's going to tell us...
NEVILLE: Shock advised.
FRYHOFER: OK, Arthel, you want to do it?
MECHANIZED VOICE: Press the flashing orange button...
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: Press it.
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... now. Shock delivered.
FRYHOFER: You just saved his life, Arthel.
NEVILLE: Wow.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient.
NEVILLE: And that's all I have to do, one time?
FRYHOFER: Well, if it goes on...
NEVILLE: Because it, it...
FRYHOFER: ... and it will check the heart again, and if you need to be shocked again, it will tell you that. The other thing that's unique about this particular instrument, it will actually walk you through doing CPR. It will remind you of the steps, it gives you a rhythm and talks to you in a nice, calm voice, which is what you need...
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: ... in an emergency like this.
NEVILLE: So this would be after you use the defibrillator, then you would have to administer CPR because you have to shock the heart, right, first?
FRYHOFER: You have to, you have to administer CPR until the ambulance gets here.
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: And the reason why this is so important is, time is of the essence, Arthel, Arthel. When you have -- when a patient has a cardiac arrest...
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: ... the chance of survival decreases about 10 percent with each passing minute. And let me tell you, overall, right now, the survival after a cardiac arrest is about 5 percent, which means that 95 percent of these people die. So having access to one of these defibrillators can make the difference between life and death.
I mean, this defibrillator can save your life.
NEVILLE: Question, though, it's battery operated. So how do you keep it charged, and how long will the battery last?
FRYHOFER: Well, the battery is supposed to last for four years, or 300 shocks.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: And it's self-tests too.
NEVILLE: OK, well, that's...
FRYHOFER: Twenty-three hundred dollars, you think it's worth it to save a life? NEVILLE: well, of course it is, and I would like to think that the insurance companies would cover that, because that's a lot of money.
Dr. Sandy, always nice to see you.
FRYHOFER: Thanks, Arthel.
NEVILLE: All right. Miles, we had some great information here, I hope you were listening to that.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I was listening, and I should tell you folks over there that the floor director told me that the crew has named that dummy there...
NEVILLE: Yes?
O'BRIEN: ... Miles.
NEVILLE: So we now have two dummies named Miles on the set. Just a joke.
O'BRIEN: I toss you the softballs, you hit them out of the park, Arthel.
NEVILLE: I hit it for you. Thank you very much.
O'BRIEN: All right. Hopefully we won't be replaced by Miles, the other Miles, anytime soon.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 16, 2002 - 09:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: OK, good news, everyone. This week for people at risk of heart attack, the federal government has approved the use of an at-home defibrillator to jump-start the heart when it suddenly stops beating. Nearly a quarter million Americans die each year of sudden cardiac arrest, most of them at home. And those hoping to buy the $2,300 device must secure a doctor's prescription.
Joining me now to talk more about cardiac arrest and at-home heart starter is internist Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.
Good morning, Dr. Sandy, how are you?
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, INTERNIST: Hi, Arthel, fine.
NEVILLE: Nice to see you.
FRYHOFER: Thanks.
NEVILLE: You know, first of all, we're talking about a device to use at home. Why is it so important to use this defibrillator at home?
FRYHOFER: Well, Arthel, this is a deadly problem. Sudden cardiac arrest causes so many deaths each year. It causes about 450,000 deaths each year. About half of these, about 250,000, occur at home, actually outside of the hospital. And most of these, about 70 percent, occur at home.
Now, most of the time, it's caused by a heart condition called ventricular fibrillation, in which the heart begins to beat erratically, to quiver, and so it can't pump bloody effectively, so the body can't get the oxygen it needs to function. Now, time is so important here, because if left untreated, this condition can lead to death even if CPR is started immediately, unless the defibrillator is used to shock the heart and get it back into a regular rhythm.
And Arthel, we have one of these at-home devices
(CROSSTALK)
NEVILLE: You know, before we go, I wanted to ask you, as I'm thinking about this, this I very important, but $2,300 is a lot of money. Is this covered by the -- an insurance -- your insurance?
FRYHOFER: We don't know that yet. We don't know that yet. But let's take a look at it.
NEVILLE: OK, yes.
FRYHOFER: And then we can talk about some of those details.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: And you can see if you think it's worth the $2,300. How's that?
NEVILLE: I'm sure it is, to save a life. Go ahead, Dr. Sandy.
FRYHOFER: OK. It comes in its own little kit. And here, let's pretend like we're at home.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: A family member has collapsed.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: This is our cousin Andy.
NEVILLE: All right, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
FRYHOFER: We're going to go get the defibrillator. It's in a small little kit, it's portable, there are no cords.
NEVILLE: Batteries?
FRYHOFER: Battery operated. This battery will provide 300 shocks, will last for four years. And let's put it in. And it will talk to us, and it's going to tell us what to do.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Training. In case of emergency, remove the training cartridge. Begin by removing all clothing from the patient's chest.
FRYHOFER: OK, Arthel...
NEVILLE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
MECHANIZED VOICE: Cut, look carefully at the pictures on the white adhesive pads. Peel one pad from the yellow plastic liner.
FRYHOFER: OK, and it's telling us where to put it. So I'm going to let you place it...
MECHANIZED VOICE: Look carefully at the pictures on the white adhesive pads.
FRYHOFER: Now, take a look at it and place it on the chest.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Place pad exactly as shown in the picture.
NEVILLE: Here? Is this good? MECHANIZED VOICE: Press firmly to patient's...
FRYHOFER: All right.
NEVILLE: Or there?
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... bare skin.
NEVILLE: Little bit lower. OK, good.
FRYHOFER: Yes, all right, that's important stuff, OK.
OK, here is the next one.
NEVILLE: Let's see where this one is, right here.
MECHANIZED VOICE: When the first pad is in place, look carefully at the picture on the second pad. Peel the second pad from the yellow...
NEVILLE: Here?
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... plastic liner. Place pad, press pads firmly to patient's bare skin.
NEVILLE: OK.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient.
FRYHOFER: That's because you don't want to get shocked.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Analyze it.
FRYHOFER: It's listening -- it's checking the patient's heart, it's telling -- it's going to tell us what the heart is doing.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient. Analyzing.
FRYHOFER: It's going to tell us...
NEVILLE: Shock advised.
FRYHOFER: OK, Arthel, you want to do it?
MECHANIZED VOICE: Press the flashing orange button...
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: Press it.
MECHANIZED VOICE: ... now. Shock delivered.
FRYHOFER: You just saved his life, Arthel.
NEVILLE: Wow.
MECHANIZED VOICE: No one should touch the patient.
NEVILLE: And that's all I have to do, one time?
FRYHOFER: Well, if it goes on...
NEVILLE: Because it, it...
FRYHOFER: ... and it will check the heart again, and if you need to be shocked again, it will tell you that. The other thing that's unique about this particular instrument, it will actually walk you through doing CPR. It will remind you of the steps, it gives you a rhythm and talks to you in a nice, calm voice, which is what you need...
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: ... in an emergency like this.
NEVILLE: So this would be after you use the defibrillator, then you would have to administer CPR because you have to shock the heart, right, first?
FRYHOFER: You have to, you have to administer CPR until the ambulance gets here.
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: And the reason why this is so important is, time is of the essence, Arthel, Arthel. When you have -- when a patient has a cardiac arrest...
NEVILLE: Right.
FRYHOFER: ... the chance of survival decreases about 10 percent with each passing minute. And let me tell you, overall, right now, the survival after a cardiac arrest is about 5 percent, which means that 95 percent of these people die. So having access to one of these defibrillators can make the difference between life and death.
I mean, this defibrillator can save your life.
NEVILLE: Question, though, it's battery operated. So how do you keep it charged, and how long will the battery last?
FRYHOFER: Well, the battery is supposed to last for four years, or 300 shocks.
NEVILLE: OK.
FRYHOFER: And it's self-tests too.
NEVILLE: OK, well, that's...
FRYHOFER: Twenty-three hundred dollars, you think it's worth it to save a life? NEVILLE: well, of course it is, and I would like to think that the insurance companies would cover that, because that's a lot of money.
Dr. Sandy, always nice to see you.
FRYHOFER: Thanks, Arthel.
NEVILLE: All right. Miles, we had some great information here, I hope you were listening to that.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I was listening, and I should tell you folks over there that the floor director told me that the crew has named that dummy there...
NEVILLE: Yes?
O'BRIEN: ... Miles.
NEVILLE: So we now have two dummies named Miles on the set. Just a joke.
O'BRIEN: I toss you the softballs, you hit them out of the park, Arthel.
NEVILLE: I hit it for you. Thank you very much.
O'BRIEN: All right. Hopefully we won't be replaced by Miles, the other Miles, anytime soon.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
