AEDs are easy to use - for many people, using an AED is easier than learning CPR. These units are designed for people who may have limited medical or emergency care training, with features such as voice prompts that provide instructions every step of the way.

During the sequence of instructions, an AED tells the operator to place adhesive electrode defibrillation pads on the victim's bare chest. These pads allow the AED to sense the victim's heart rhythm and decide if a shock is required. If needed, the AED prompts the operator to push the shock button and deliver the shock. This electric shock helps the heart reorganize its activity and pump blood again, restoring fibrillation and normal heart rhythms. Several shocks may be necessary to successfully defibrillate a person. AEDs are designed with many safeguards and warnings, so that a shock cannot be delivered unless it is medically warranted.

If no shock is required, the AED tells the operator to check the victim and administer CPR if necessary.

Most AEDs are designed for use by trained non-medical personnel, such as police officers, firefighters, flight attendants, and security guards. The American Heart Association recommends training for anyone who has access to an AED, whether the device is located within their community, at their work place, or at a recreational or municipal facility that they frequent. Even a slight familiarity with an AED device could help in a situation where a 911 dispatcher asks a lay person to begin the process until EMS personnel can respond.

It has been shown that naive operators can use an AED, if necessary. For instance, in a mock cardiac arrest scenario, researchers compared AED usage by 15 children with that of 22 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or paramedics. The researchers found that the untrained children were only slightly slower than the professionals, and concluded that widespread use of AEDs may require only modest training.³

Access is Everything - "Defibrillation is the only effective treatment for most sudden cardiac arrests and the use of AEDs by trained personnel has reduced time to defibrillation - a critical point in increasing the chances of survival for someone in cardiac arrest, says Rose Marie Robertson, M.D., president of the American Heart Association.¹ However, AEDs are still not as prevalent as they could be. Defibrillators often reach the scene too late - or not at all. In fact, only 50% of ambulances and only 10-15% of fire department vehicles with emergency "first-response" duties are equipped with portable external defibrillators. And less than 1% of police vehicles carry them.

The American Red Cross recommends defibrillation therapy within three minutes of arrest for incidents occuring in public buildings. ⁶ In response, many citizens are establishing public access defibrillation programs in their towns, resorts, offices, and public facilities. Today's AEDs are safe, easy-to-use, and cost-effective, helping them become an integral part of all safety and medical service programs. If AEDs are available when and where they are needed, thousands of lives could be saved.