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Review
. 2023 Jun 1;29(3):168-174.
doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000001051. Epub 2023 Apr 24.

Public access defibrillation: challenges and new solutions

Fredrik Folke  1   2   3 , Persia Shahriari  1   2 , Carolina Malta Hansen  1   4 , Mads Christian Tofte Gregers  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Public access defibrillation: challenges and new solutions

Fredrik Folke et al. Curr Opin Crit Care. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: The purpose of this article is to review the current status of public access defibrillation and the various utility modalities of early defibrillation.

Recent findings: Defibrillation with on-site automated external defibrillators (AEDs) has been the conventional approach for public access defibrillation. This strategy is highly effective in cardiac arrests occurring in close proximity to on-site AEDs; however, only a few cardiac arrests will be covered by this strategy. During the last decades, additional strategies for public access defibrillation have developed, including volunteer responder programmes and drone assisted AED-delivery. These programs have increased chances of early defibrillation within a greater radius, which remains an important factor for survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Summary: Recent advances in the use of public access defibrillation show great potential for optimizing early defibrillation. With new technological solutions, AEDs can be transported to the cardiac arrest location reaching OHCAs in both public and private locations. Furthermore, new technological innovations could potentially identify and automatically alert the emergency medical services in nonwitnessed OHCA previously left untreated.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Box 1
Box 1
no caption available
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A theoretical graph of potential survival and proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reached according to type of early defibrillation strategy. AED, automated external defibrillator; EMS, emergency medical services; OHCA, Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Different innovative approaches to public access defibrillation. Reprinted with permission from [▪▪].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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