Aed detects ventricular fibrillation what next
Which Action Should You Take Immediately After Providing an AED Shock?
Imagine a close friend or family member suddenly collapses, their heart stops, and you’re faced with the responsibility to save their life. It’s a daunting scenario, but knowing how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can make all the difference. This blog post will guide you through the essential steps, including which action should you take immediately after providing an AED shock, the importance of combining CPR and AED use to increase survival chances during sudden cardiac arrest, as well as special considerations when using an AED.
Immediate Actions After an AED Shock
In the critical moments following an AED shock, every second counts. The immediate actions you take can significantly impact the person’s chances of survival. Once a shock is delivered, it’s crucial to assess the victim’s pulse and breathing.
Depending on their condition, you may need to take further action, such as resuming chest compressions, following the AED’s voice prompts, or monitoring the person until help arrives.
Resume Chest Compressions
Chest compressions are
Shockable vs. Non Shockable Heart Rhythms
To shock or not to shock? That is the question for your AED.
In fact, that is exactly what an AED determines once its pads are attached to a patient: whether or not the detected heart rhythm can be treated with defibrillation.
Electrical impulses in the heart initiate each of our heart beats. However, different diseases and structural problems in the heart can cause these impulses to go haywire. When that happens, irregular rhythms can occur, some of which cause Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).
If someone experiences SCA and receives high-quality CPR, their rescuer will attach an AED to their chest. So what are shockable vs. non shockable heart rhythms? If the AED detects Ventricular Tachycardia (VT)or Ventricular Fibrillation (VF), then it will deliver a shock. If it discovers Asystoleor Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA), the AED will alert the user and say, “No shock advised.”
While only two of these four irregular rhythms can be treated with an AED, all four of these arrhythmias can lead to SCA.
Contrary to many fear-based narratives, an AED will NOT deliver a shock until it has fully analyzed the patient’s The AED unit is easily portable and preprogrammed to talk through the process. STEP 1 STEP 2 Dry the patient’s skin if sweaty. Skin can be damp but not wet. If necessary, shave excessive chest hair to ensure good pad contact with bare skin. Pad placement is very important. Open the pads case and peel one pad from the case. The icons on the pads’ placement diagram on the AED front panel will guide the user to correct placement. Press the pad down firmly. Repeat with the seco You've seen it on TV shows. After someone has sudden cardiac arrest, doctors grab the paddles and give an electric shock to the patient to help restore a normal heart rhythm. Now there is an automated external defibrillator (AED). This is a small, lightweight, portable defibrillator that runs on a battery. You may see AEDs in schools and public buildings. And they may be in airports, malls, sports arenas, health clubs, golf courses, and some businesses. Defibrillation is needed when a heart starts to beat so fast and out of its normal rhythm that very little blood can be pumped out of the heart to the rest of the body. This might cause cardiac arrest. An AED uses an electric shock to help the heart get back to its normal rhythm. Here are some FAQs to help bring you up to speed. The automated external defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device. It has adhesive pads that are put on the chest. These allow an electrical current to pass through to the heart. This can help reset the heart's normal electrical current. A normal, regular or organized electrical rhythm through the h Last Updated: 1 Aug 2025 Always dial Triple Zero (000) for emergency assistance in Australia. This communication is not a substitute for proper AED training by an accredited organisation. An AED or Automated External Defibrillator (or “defib” for short), is a portable, electronic device that’s used in a medical emergency to help someone who is suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. An AED detects and analyses a person’s heart outing and, if needed, delivers an electric shock (also called a defibrillation), through the chest to the heart. An AED can restore normal rhythm to the heart. Anyone can use an AED and knowing how to use one could save a life. In this simple practice video, an Australian accredited instructor from Response for Life explains how to use a defibrillator. Medical training is not required to use an AED. In an emergency, start by following the DRS ABCD action plan. If defibrillation is required (as the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally), follow these simple steps:
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Along with the battery-powered defibrillator, the unit includes a spare set of pads; scissors to cut the patient’s clothes if needed; disposable protective gloves; a disposable razor to shave chest hair if necessary; absorbent wipes to dry patient’s skin for optimal pad contact; and a pocket mask to deliver breaths. Additionally, an infant/child key accessory is available for use if the patient is under 55 pounds or less than eight years of age.
Press the green on/off button to turn on the AED.
The unit will instruct the user to remove all clothes from the patient’s chest.
Remove the SMART Pads II case from the carry case.
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