What Is an AED Defribrillator?

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), cardiac arrest accounts for 300,000 to 400,000 deaths in the United States each year, most of which involve non-hospitalized people. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are lightweight, portable devices used to restore regular heart rhythm and improve survival chances when patients experience cardiac arrest at locations other than a hospital, such as workplaces, shopping malls and schools.

Cardiac Arrest

• The American Heart Association defines cardiac arrest as "the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function." Abnormal heart rhythms stop the heart. According to OSHA, ventricular fibrillation, a chaotic heart rhythm, is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death.

AED Function

• AEDs correct chaotic heart rhythms by delivering an electric shock to the heart. Through adhesive electrodes placed on the victim's chest, a microprocessor within the AED evaluates the patient's heart rhythm and determines if defibrillation is necessary. When warranted, the AED prompts the operator to administer the electric shock to restore normal rhythm.

AED Statistics

• The longer it takes to restore normal heart rhythm in a victim of cardiac arrest, the lower their chance of survival. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, after cardiac arrest, a victim's chance of survival decreases 7 to 10 percent for each minute that passes without defibrillation. OSHA claims that immediate action to correct a victim's heart rhythm using an AED increases survival to more than 90 percent.