Electrical requirements for ventricular defibrillation.
- 10 May 1975
- Vol. 2 (5966), 313-315
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.2.5966.313
Abstract
Most deaths from ischaemic heart disease are sudden, occur outside hospital, and result from ventricular fibrillation. But defibrillators have only limited availability because of their size and weight. A miniature defibrillator has been developed. A singe low-energy shock succeeded in removing ventricular fibrillation in 73 out of 82 episodes, and a further shock was successful in seven more episodes. Primary ventricular fibrillation probably always responds to low-energy electrical shocks, which challenges the conventional view that correction of ventricular fibrillation requires high-energy direct-current shock. Thus even smaller and lighter defibrillators are possible. Furthermore low-energy shocks cause less myocardial damage.Keywords
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