Every year thousands of Americans experience the horror of cardiac arrest. When a person’s heart stops beating you have only seconds to act before permanent damage or death result. For the most common forms of cardiac arrest, doctors have developed defibrillators—the shock paddles you have probably seen used on TV medical dramas. Traditionally these machines were both dangerous and difficult to use—one had to be an expert physician, nurse or EMT—and by the time a cardiac arrest victim could get to one, it was often too late.
But in recent years there has been a proliferation of automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. These machines are designed to be used by a layman and are easily stored next to the first aid kit. Thanks to this technology countless lives have been saved that otherwise might have been lost. But your AED is only as good as its batteries. Choosing the right AED battery can mean the difference between life and death.
Your AED battery is probably dependent on the model you use. Each of the major manufacturers of AEDs put out their own type of battery, not unlike your cell phone. Because the defibrillator must deliver a tremendous shock in order to restart the heart, the batteries themselves must pack quite a punch. For this reason your AED battery is likely to be a bit pricy. Several major electronics manufacturers produce both AEDs and the batteries for them—and the battery can cost over $200 by itself. Because lithium has high potential charges, most batteries for AEDs are lithium based.
The spread of AED technologies has been one of the most terrific public health leaps of our recent past, and saving a life is worth whatever price you pay. Picking the right AED battery means you’ll be there when every moment counts.
