CPR buys time until the AED arrives and makes it more likely that VF will respond to defibrillation shocks. Early defibrillation is important because defibrillation is the only known therapy for most sudden cardiac arrests. Most sudden cardiac arrests are caused by ventricular fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. VF causes the heart's electrical impulses to become chaotic. The heart stops suddenly, and the victim collapses and loses consciousness.
Defibrillation can restore the heart's normal rhythm if it's done within minutes of the arrest.
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