Automatic external defibrillators: lessons from the past, present and future.

Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and most developed countries. Many of the victims die from sudden cardiac arrests, resulting from dysrhythmias-most commonly ventricular fibrillation. Since most cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital, implementing emergency services in the field will have a great impact on survival. With the development of the modern automatic external defibrillator (AED), early recognition and correction of these dysrhythmias by lay rescuers can significantly improve outcome from sudden death. This paper reviews the past, present and future development and applications of AEDs.