automated external defibrillator (AED)

automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable apparatus used in sudden cardiac arrest. It is programmed to provide step-by-step instructions, to analyze cardiac rhythms automatically, and to indicate with a voice prompt when to deliver a defibrillating shock.

Automated external defibrillator. A, Adult. B, Pediatric (Aehlert, 2012)