When do we use a defibrillator?
1️⃣ PULSELESS VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA
&
2️⃣ VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION
With these 2 arrhythmias, the heart is not pumping effectively = brain and vital organs are not getting the blood/oxygen they need = death is imminent
CPR will keep the blood flowing, but the defibrillator will restore the heart’s normal rhythm. How? The defibrillator terminates abnormal electrical rhythm = allows the sinus node to resume normal pacemaker activity = normal electrical activity begins✅
MONOPHASIC VS. BIPHASIC
Monophasic defibrillation = delivers a charge in only one direction
Biphasic defibrillation = delivers a charge in one direction for half of the shock and in the electrically opposite direction for the second half
👉🏼 delivers a more consistent magnitude of current and tends to successfully terminate arrhythmias at lower energies than monophasic waveform defibrillators
