DEFI 2005: a randomized controlled trial of the effect of automated external defibrillator cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocol on outcome from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Background: Using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that implement the Guidelines 2000 resuscitation protocol constrains administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to <50% of AED connection time. We tested a different AED protocol aimed at increasing the CPR administered to patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods And Results: In a randomized controlled trial, patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest requiring defibrillation were treated with 1 of 2 AED protocols.

Attenuating the defibrillation dosage decreases postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction in a swine model of pediatric ventricular fibrillation.

Objective: The optimal biphasic defibrillation dose for children is unknown. Postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction is common and may be worsened by higher defibrillation doses. Adult-dose automated external defibrillators are commonly available; pediatric doses can be delivered by attenuating the adult defibrillation dose through a pediatric pads/cable system.