Automated external defibrillator
Automated External Defibrillator
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) (pronounced: au·to·mat·ed | \ ȯ-ˈtō-mə-ˌtād \, ex·ter·nal | \ ik-ˈstər-nᵊl \, de·fib·ril·la·tor | \ di-ˈfi-brə-ˌlā-tər \) 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 terms:
- Automated: From the Greek word "automatos", meaning self-acting.
- External: From the Latin word "externus", meaning outward or external.
- Defibrillator: From the Latin word "defibrillare", meaning to stop fibrillation.
Related Terms
- Cardiac Arrhythmia: A group of conditions in which the heartbeat is irregular, too fast, or too slow.
- 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 arrhythmia in which the ventricles of the heart beat very fast and are unable to pump blood effectively.
- Defibrillation: The process of delivering a dose of electric current (often called a "defibrillation shock") to the heart to stop an arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Automated external defibrillator
- Wikipedia's article - Automated external defibrillator
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