The only effective way to treat cardiac arrest is with a defibrillator, which delivers an electrical shock through the chest to the heart. This shock interrupts the random electrical pulses of ventricular fibrillation and gets the heart beating again in a normal rhythm. Its built-in computer analyzes a victim's heart rhythm and determines if a shock is required. Unlike a manual defibrillator, an AED is simple to use. Voice commands and screen messages guide the operator through the process.
Most people can learn to operate an AED with a few hours of training.
The AED leads the operator through the rescue process step by step. The operator exposes the patient's bare chest and attaches the adhesive electrodes to the victim's chest. The machine assesses the victim's heart rhythm. The operator follows the machine's voice prompts and screen instructions. The AED will not allow a shock to be given unless it is needed.