What is the use for a cardiac defibrillator?

A cardiac defibrillator is a device that delivers an electric shock to the heart in order to restore a normal heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. When the heart stops beating effectively or enters a dangerous rhythm, a defibrillator can correct it by delivering a precise electrical pulse to the heart muscle, causing it to resume a regular and normal rhythm.

1. Cardiac Arrest: Cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function in which the heart stops beating effectively. A defibrillator can deliver a life-saving shock to restore a normal heart rhythm and save the person's life.

2. Ventricular Fibrillation (VF): VF is a heart rhythm disorder characterized by chaotic, disorganized contractions of the heart ventricles. It can cause cardiac arrest and is a common rhythm disturbance that defibrillators can correct.

3. Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): VT is a rapid heart rate that originates in the heart's ventricles. Sustained VT can be dangerous and may lead to cardiac arrest. A defibrillator can be used to convert VT back to a normal sinus rhythm.

4. Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT): SVT is a rapid heart rate that originates above the ventricles, often in the atrioventricular (AV) node or the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Defibrillators can sometimes be used to terminate certain types of SVT.

5. Cardioversion: Defibrillators can also be used for cardioversion, which involves delivering a controlled electric shock to revert a fast, abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation (AFib) or atrial flutter, back to a normal sinus rhythm.

Defibrillators can be automated external defibrillators (AEDs) or manual defibrillators. AEDs are designed to be used by non-medical personnel in public places or wherever sudden cardiac arrest may occur. Manual defibrillators require medical training to operate and are used by healthcare professionals in hospitals, clinics, and other medical settings.