Automated External Defibrillator
Automated External Defibrillator (pronunciation: aw-toh-may-ted ex-ter-nal dee-fib-rih-lay-tor) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
Etymology
The term "Automated External Defibrillator" is derived from the following words: "Automated", which means to convert a process or facility to be operated automatically by means of machinery or electronics; "External", which refers to something on or from the outside; and "Defibrillator", which is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest.
Related Terms
- Cardiac Arrest: A sudden, sometimes temporary, cessation of function of the heart.
- Ventricular Fibrillation (VF): A condition in which there is uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart, making them quiver rather than contract properly.
- Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia: A type of cardiac rhythm disturbance that is life-threatening.
- Defibrillation: The stopping of fibrillation of the heart by administering a controlled electric shock in order to allow restoration of the normal rhythm.
Usage
Automated External Defibrillators are commonly found in places including corporate and government offices, shopping centres, airports, airplanes, hotels, sports stadiums, schools and universities, community centres, fitness centres and health clubs. They are designed to be simple to use for the layman, and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, certified first responder, and basic life support level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Automated External Defibrillator
- Wikipedia's article - Automated External Defibrillator
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski