Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007 Oct;92(10):916-21.
doi: 10.1136/adc.2006.115618.

Ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation

P Jones  1 , N Lodé
Affiliations
Review

Ventricular fibrillation and defibrillation

P Jones et al. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Oct.

Abstract

Cardiac arrest in children is not often due to a disturbance in rhythm that is amenable to electrical defibrillation, contrary to the situation in adults. When a shockable rhythm is present, defibrillation using an external electric shock applied at an early stage after pre-oxygenation and chest compressions is of proven efficacy. Success at conversion of ventricular fibrillation is dependent on the delay before delivering the shock and defibrillation efficiency, which is itself a function of thoracic impedance, energy dose and waveform.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None.

References

    1. Biarent D, Bingham R, Richmond S.et al European Resuscitation Council guidelines for resuscitation 2005. Section 6: Paediatric life support, Resuscitation 200567(Suppl 1)S97–133. - PubMed
    1. International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) consensus on science with treatment recommendations for pediatric and neonatal patients: pediatric basic and advanced life support. Pediatrics 2006117(5)e955–e977. - PubMed
    1. Samson R, Berg R, Bingham R.et al Use of automated external defibrillators for children: an update. An advisory statement from the Pediatric Advanced Life Support Task Force, International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Resuscitation 200357237–243. - PubMed
    1. Jalife J, Pandit S V. Ionic mechanisms of wavebreak in fibrillation. Heart Rhythm 20052(6)660–663. - PubMed
    1. Lee J, Kamjoo K, Hough D.et al Reentrant wave fronts in Wiggers' stage II ventricular fibrillation: characteristics and mechanisms of termination and spontaneous regeneration. Circ Res 199678660–675. - PubMed