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Experts at the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine are urging health clubs to buy defibrillators and train staff in their use.

In general, people who exercise live longer and healthier lives. Research shows a slightly higher risk of cardiac arrest during exercise, however. In such an event, an automated external defibrillator (AED) can shock the heart back into a normal rhythm and save lives.

Prompt defibrillation is the key. When used in the first minute after cardiac arrest, an automated external defibrillator can restart a heart in up to 90 percent of cases. Odds of survival fall as much as 10 percent with every minute the shocks are delayed.

Check if your health club is equipped with a defibrillator to respond to potentially life-threatening cardiac emergencies. Heart-healthy fitness facilities reported to Medical Update will be posted on our Web site at www.medical-update.org.