A pilot program in USA is using drones to deliver automatic external defibrillators (DEA) after an emergency call by cardiac arrest. According to Popular Sciencethis initiative could transform emergency medical care and save thousands of lives.
The project, led by Duke Health and the Duke Clinical Research Instituteworks in Forsyth County, North Carolinaand James City County, Virginia. Your goal is dramatically reduce response times in incidents where every minute is decisive.
Cardiac arrest is one of the main emergencies in the United States, with more than 350,000 cases per year. Most occur in addressesand the possibility of survival decreases almost 10% for every minute how long it takes to use an AED. Using the defibrillator in the first minute can allow 90% survival rate.
However, the outlet states that emergency services take, on average, 7 minutes to arrivereaching 13 minutes in rural areas. This difference in times shows the urgency to find solutions that shorten the wait to receive treatment.
The model of Duke Health provides a technological alternative to the traditional method. When a 911 call comes in about cardiac arrest, a remote pilot launches a drone that flies 60 meters high to the emergency site.
If the drone arrives before the medical services, descend to 30 meters and release the AED by lowering it with a strap. The 911 dispatcher then guides witnesses to use the equipment, which is designed to be used without medical experience and offers clear and direct verbal instructions.
Unlike ambulances and fire trucks, Popular Science highlights that, drones They do not face obstacles such as traffic or complex routesallowing them to deliver equipment quickly much faster. This capability is especially relevant in rural areas, where wait times are often extended.
The drone pilot program does not modify 911 protocols, but rather complements themmaking crucial devices available to witnesses before the arrival of professionals. Experts highlight its potential in speed to save lives, but also to reduce possible consequences.
Monique Starksfrom Duke University School of Medicine, said: “This study represents a major advance in the way we respond to cardiac arrest in the United States. By integrating drone technology into emergency care, we are working to close the critical gap between cardiac arrest and treatment, which could save thousands of lives.”
Meanwhile, Betsy Sinkbattalion chief of James City County Emergency Medical Services, said, “They will not replace traditional response systems, but they can strengthen them by putting life-saving equipment in the hands of bystanders when it matters most. This project allows us to better understand how far this innovation can go in improving survival and will shape the future of emergency medicine.”
The program is already in operation in two counties and could expand depending on the results. Joseph Ornatoprofessor of emergency medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and co-leader of the study, explained that the project lay the foundation for a randomized clinical trial, with a larger scale and presence in several centers. The next stages of the investigation will evaluate the effectiveness, the costs and feasibility of bringing AED to any environment in the shortest time possible.
