The AED is primarily used to treat which types of medical emergencies?

The AED, or Automated External Defibrillator, is specifically designed to treat cardiac emergencies, particularly those that involve life-threatening arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. When a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest, the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, and the AED works by delivering an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm.

The AED is not utilized for neurological emergencies, respiratory emergencies, or allergic reactions, as these conditions require different types of medical intervention. For example, neurological emergencies might involve strokes or seizures, respiratory emergencies include issues like asthma or choking, and allergic reactions could necessitate the use of an epinephrine auto-injector. Each of these scenarios calls for distinct treatments tailored to the specific underlying issues, while the AED's primary function is focused solely on addressing abnormal heart rhythms in cardiac cases.