The automatic external defibrillator-pacemaker: clinical rationale and engineering design.
Prompt defibrillation is the cornerstone of therapy for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. Overwhelming evidence indicates that victims whose cardiac arrest is witnessed and whose ECG rhythm is ventricular fibrillation can be successfully resuscitated, with significant prolongation of life. The automatic external defibrillator-pacemaker (AEDP) is designed to be used by family members of patients with known heart disease, by basic level technicians in emergency rescue systems, and by lay rescuers in corporate-industrial-public environments. The AEDP is designed for safety and ease of use. It incorporates a highly sensitive and specific electronic diagnostic logic. It defibrillates and paces with a unique tongue-chest electrode system or through two adhesive chest electrodes. The AEDP should be a cost-effective device for the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest and can play a major role in public health strategies for optimizing care for this enormous problem.