Automated external defibrillator selection considerations.

Abstract

Before buying an automated external defibrillator (AED), you need answers to some fundamental questions about the technology. The AED Evaluations we've published provide most of the answers you need, but there are some questions that require additional comment. For example: Are low-energy biphasic AEDs as safe and effective as units that use the more traditional monophasic technology? Will rechargeable or nonrechargeable batteries prove the best choice for your organization? And should differences in units' ECG-rhythm-recognition algorithms affect your purchasing decision? We address these questions, describing the issues to consider and recommending courses of action, in the articles that follow.