Lives are needlessly being put at risk in Britain because defibrillators are located too far away from where they are needed, experts have said.
The lifesaving devices give a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. With nearly three in 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happening at weekends and four in 10 between 6pm and 6am, quick access to a defibrillator at any time is crucial.
Research mapping the walking distance to every defibrillator registered in England, Scotland and Wales suggests that on average there is one a 19-minute round trip from the centre of any given postcode.
Cardiac arrest survival rates are 70% if a defibrillator is used within five minutes, and every minute of delay reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%.
The findings were presented in Amsterdam at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, the world’s largest heart conference.
The lead researcher, Dr Chris Wilkinson, a consultant cardiologist and senior lecturer at Hull York Medical School, said Britain had too few of the devices.
“Our study has clearly shown that defibrillators are too far away and a few minutes of delay can make the difference between life and death,” he said.
Researchers analysed data on 78,000 public access defibrillators. On average, the walking distance along the road network from the centre of any given postcode is 726 metres.
“This is 19 minutes at an average walking pace to retrieve a defibrillator,” Wilkinson said. “In the context of a cardiac arrest, that is a long time. We need to make sure the average is brought down.”
Anyone can use a defibrillator on someone in cardiac arrest and no training is required. The device checks the heart rhythm and will only tell the user to shock if that is needed.
The study exposed serious inequalities, with fewer 24/7 defibrillators in close proximity to people living in more deprived areas.
In the most deprived areas of England and Scotland, the nearest 24/7 accessible defibrillator is on average a round trip of 1.8km, according to the research, supported by the British Heart Foundation.
People living in the most deprived areas of England and Scotland are on average 99 metres and 317 metres respectively further away from their nearest 24/7 defibrillator than those in the least deprived areas. No link was found between defibrillator location and deprivation in Wales.
Prof Chris Gale, a co-author, of Leeds University, said: “Our research shows that community defibrillators are not an option for many people who suffer cardiac arrest, especially those living in areas of deprivation. This is putting lives at risk. Urgent action is needed to give everyone the same access to these devices, which will prevent unnecessary deaths.”
Judy O’Sullivan, the health innovation director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Bystander CPR and defibrillation can double the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest, so it is crucial that we address the unequal access to defibrillators in order to improve survival rates.”
Michael Bradfield, the director of clinical and service development at Resuscitation Council UK, said: “It’s vital that we address the inequalities that exist in terms of where 24/7 accessible defibrillators are located, because CPR along with defibrillation can significantly increase chances of survival following a cardiac arrest. It’s crucial that everyone, no matter where they live, has access to a defibrillator and understands that they are easy to use, no specialist training is required.”
