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Defibrillation Defibrillation is a process in which an electronic device gives an electric shock to the heart. This helps reestablish normal contraction rhythms in a heart having dangerous arrhythmia or in cardiac arrest. In recent years small portable defibrillators have become available. These are called automated external defibrillators or AEDs. AHA Scientific Position It's essential to integrate early defibrillation into an effective emergency cardiovascular care system. This means employing the four-part "chain of survival" concept.
All emergency personnel should be trained and allowed to use a properly maintained defibrillator if they're likely to respond to cardiac arrest victims. This includes all first-responding emergency personnel, both hospital and non-hospital. To make early defibrillation possible, a defibrillator must be immediately available to emergency personnel responding to a cardiac arrest. Thus, all emergency ambulances and other emergency vehicles that respond to or transport heart patients should have a defibrillator. The American Heart Association recommends that AEDs be available wherever large numbers of people congregate. Such places include airports, convention centers, sports stadiums and arenas, large industrial buildings, high-rise offices, large health fitness facilities, etc. The American Heart Association offers a four-hour training course called Heartsaver AED. It covers CPR and AED use. It's for lay rescuers and first responders. See the Related Items box above for links to the Cardiology Patient Page in Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association:
Related AHA publications:
Related AHA Scientific Statements:
See also: Arrhythmias Atrial Fibrillation Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Cough CPR (c-CPR) Emergencies Heart, How It Works Pacemakers Premature Ventricular Contractions Radiofrequency Ablation Sudden Cardiac Death Ventricular Fibrillation Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome |
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