Current required for ventricular defibrillation.

The mean current required for ventricular defibrillation was measured and found to be 0.35 +/- SE 0.03 A/kg body weight, which is about one-third of that predicted from animal experiments. There was no apparent correlation between the current required and body weight (r = -0.007 +/- SE 0.213). There is no evidence of need for defibrillators storing more than 400 J.