Performance of an automated external cardioverter defibrillator for inhospital ventricular malignant arrhythmia

Purpose Ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) are the major underlying rhythm during in-hospital cardiac arrest. For a patient in VF/VT the probability of successful defibrillation and subsequent survival to hospital discharge is directly and negatively related to the time interval between onset of the arrhythmia and delivery of the first shock. The data about this interval in clinical practice is heterogeneous and inconclusive, however the literature estimates it to be about 60 seconds in monitored units. Continuos ECG monitoring allows identification of such arrhythmias and alert nursing and medical staff. The time delay between the arrhythmic event and human intervention is still a challenge for clinical practice.