Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
A defibrillator is a medical device that can send an electrical shock to the heart. The shock is used for certain dangerous heart rhythms that can happen during cardiac arrest. It is not used for every heart problem, and it does not replace CPR or emergency care. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, are designed to guide trained and untrained rescuers with voice or screen prompts.
read more about defibrillator ...The device checks the heart rhythm through adhesive pads placed on the chest. If the rhythm is shockable, the defibrillator charges and tells the rescuer when to deliver the shock or delivers it automatically in some models. The goal is to stop an abnormal electrical rhythm so the heart can restart a more organized rhythm. CPR should continue as directed by the AED prompts or emergency dispatcher.
A defibrillator is used when someone has signs of sudden cardiac arrest, such as collapse, no normal breathing, and no response. AEDs are placed in airports, schools, offices, gyms, and other public spaces for fast access. The device analyzes the rhythm before recommending a shock, so it should be applied as soon as it is available. Call emergency services right away while someone retrieves the AED.
An AED is the public access version found in shared spaces and workplaces. Hospital defibrillators give clinicians more control over energy settings, rhythm monitoring, and pacing functions. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators, or ICDs, are placed inside the body for people at risk of life-threatening rhythms. Wearable defibrillators are used for selected patients during a temporary risk period.
AED pads, batteries, and status lights should be checked on the schedule listed by the device maker. Pads should be placed on bare, dry skin, away from medication patches when possible. No one should touch the person during rhythm analysis or shock delivery. Training improves confidence, but AED prompts are written to guide a rescuer through the steps.
A defibrillator does not restart every stopped heart. It treats certain shockable rhythms by delivering an electrical shock, while CPR helps move blood until emergency care takes over.
Yes. Public AEDs are designed with voice or screen prompts that guide users through pad placement, rhythm checks, and shock delivery. Calling emergency services and starting CPR still matter while the AED is being set up.
Start CPR right away if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Use the AED as soon as it arrives, then follow its prompts about when to pause, shock, or continue compressions.
The AED analyzes the heart rhythm before advising a shock. If the rhythm is not shockable, the device will tell you not to shock and will direct you to continue CPR if needed.
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/cardiovascular-devices/automated-external-defibrillators-aeds. Date Accessed May 26, 2026.
Treatment of Cardiac Arrest. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-arrest/emergency-treatment-of-cardiac-arrest. Date Accessed May 26, 2026.
What Is an AED? American Red Cross. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/aed/using-an-aed/what-is-aed. Date Accessed May 26, 2026.
AED Steps. American Red Cross. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/aed/using-an-aed/aed-steps. Date Accessed May 26, 2026.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007370.htm. Date Accessed May 26, 2026.