What are Defibrillators? The Types of Defibrillators

Defibrillators are devices that are used for restoring normal heartbeat of a patient. They send electric pulse or shock into the heart. Arrhythmia patients are treated with defibs by preventing arrhythmia or correcting it, whenever the heartbeats are too fast or too slow. If the heart suddenly stops beating, defibs are used to make the heartbeat return. Example of the defibrillator is LifePak 10.

Types of Defibrillators

Nowadays, you get various types of defibrillators. Following are their types:

• Manual External Defibrillators: For effectively handling manual external defibrillators, you need to have experience and training. Therefore, manual external defibrillators can only be found in hospitals, and in a few ambulances, which has a capable pair of hands for handing the defibrillators. ECG goes in conjunction with these defibs to determine cardiac rhythm, and the trained defib user determines the voltage required and the timing of the electric shock.
• Manual Internal Defibrillator: Internal paddles are using in the manual internal defibrillators for sending electric shocks directly into the heart. They are only found in operating rooms as these types of defibs can only be used on an open chest.
• Automated External Defibrillators or AED: Automated external defibrillators are used with the aid of computer technology. So, analyzing the heart’s rhythm and know if the heart needs shocks, and the computer technology calculates the voltage and timing. You can find these defibs in medical facilities, airports, sports stadium, schools, hotels, and government offices.
• Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator or Automatic Internal Cardiac Defibrillator or AICD: These defibrillators constantly monitor heart of a patient, and can detect, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, atrial fibrillation, and supraventricular tachycardia. If an abnormal rhythm is detected in the heart, it automatically will shock the patient, and they determine the voltage and timing automatically.
• Cardiac Defibrillator Wearable: Patients who don’t need an AICD immediately can use portable external defibs. You can wear them for 24 hours, and it behaves like AICD whenever heart beats abnormally.