Which arrhythmia might be recognized as shockable by an AED?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is recognized as shockable by an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) because it is a rapid heart rhythm that originates from the ventricles and can lead to ineffective blood pumping, causing a significant drop in blood circulation. VT can deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation, which is a chaotic rhythm that does not allow the heart to effectively pump blood, making defibrillation necessary. An AED is specifically designed to detect such rhythms and provide a shock to restore a normal rhythm, thereby increasing the chances of survival in a cardiac arrest scenario.

Other rhythms listed, such as asystole, stable atrial fibrillation, and bradycardia, are not considered shockable. Asystole represents a complete absence of electrical activity in the heart, indicating that there is no rhythm to shock. Stable atrial fibrillation involves an irregular heartbeat that, while it can be dangerous, usually doesn’t require immediate defibrillation if the patient is stable. Bradycardia, which refers to a slower than normal heart rate, does not indicate a shockable rhythm unless it progresses into a more critical state. Thus, the clear distinction for an AED is its ability to effectively treat conditions like ventricular tachycardia that