The 5 Best Home and Business Defibrillators [AEDs Ranked]
Automated external defibrillators are battery-operated, portable devices that are able to assess the heart’s rhythm and send electric shocks directly to the heart in an effort to restore a normal rhythm.
They are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating.
Automated external defibrillators, commonly known as AEDs, are now typically found in many public and private areas, including the home.
Since 80% of deaths associated with cardiac arrest occur in the home, it’s important that there is a consumer version of the defibrillators doctors use in hospitals and emergency rooms (Source).
Automated external defibrillators are able to give life-saving shocks of electricity to individuals whose hearts are no longer beating or beating so rapidly and chaotically that they are in danger of dying within a matter of minutes.
Our Top Pick: Avive Connect AED
The Avive Connect AEDâ„¢ is a lifesaving solution for all -- whether that's in the home, schools, gyms, churches or businesses.
The Avive Connect AEDâ„¢ is a fully featured AED and comprehensive response system.
This AED has child and adult modes, a button to switch to instructions in Spanish, a rechargeable battery, and a modern touchscreen. Avive offers Avive REALConnect services for remote monitoring and rapid incident reporting.
This AED can be purchased either outright for $1,395, or as part of the LIFESaver Plan for $349/year.
Cardiac arrest is known to strike around 125,000 Americans every year inside their own homes, and around 40,000 in public environments (Source).
It is important that you are trained in the use of one of these devices and are familiar with how to provide CPR- the two used in conjunction significantly increases the chances of an individual surviving a sudden cardiac arrest.
Let’s take a look at some of the best AEDs available for purchase.
- What You Will Get: the package comes with 100 pieces of double sided printed AED inspection labels measuring 5.75 x 3.27 inch, with 100 pieces of white cable ties, providing you with the right installation parts, ample quantities can meet your use and share needs
- AED DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING KIT - This AED trainer includes: AED trainer, 1 set of reusable adult and 1 set of reusable child training pads and connectors, 3 AA batteries, Nylon carrying case, and instructor manual
- Modern supplies to help manage severe bleeding, cardiac arrest, seizures, choking, and more.
- This 2-page 8.5" x 12" laminated first aid defibrillator Guide is the ultimate reference for the use and applications of an Automated External Defibrillator!
- AED AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR SIGN
Click Here to Watch an AED in action in a popup media player
Home and Business Defibrillators Reviews
Contents
1. Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator (AED)
Remain at ease in your home or business knowing that a life-saving device such as this defibrillator is just around the corner in case you need it. It is readily available, safe and easy to use. Along with the home defibrillator also included in the set are a red carry case containing 911 or EMS card, an adult SMART Pads cartridge that could last for 2 years and a battery that has 4-year life. There is also a training video on how to properly use it in case of emergency. You can also avail of free discount coupons for CPR training when you buy this product.
2. Zoll AED Plus Package
Cardiac arrest may strike anytime, but with this defibrillator on stand-by, you or any of your family members will have a greater chance of surviving. One of its advantages is that it uses inexpensive lithium CR123 batteries that are easy to maintain, unlike most AEDs that use costly proprietary lithium batteries. When used, it has a charging time of less than 10 seconds, with one cycle per charge. Its cycle time is less than 7 seconds. Also included in the unit is a set of 10 lithium 123A batteries. It is lightweight, weighing only 11 pounds.
3. Cardiac Science AED Cabinet & Accessories
When cardiac arrest strikes, a person has a greater chance of survival if a defibrillator is used within 5 minutes. An AED device is essential in those circumstances- a smart investment that could possibly save the life of someone in your family or your business. It features a defibrillation pad that simplifies the placement process. When in a noisy environment, you can benefit from reading the text prompts from its clear LCD screen. A patented Rescue Ready function allows for daily, weekly and monthly tests to ensure that critical components are working as they should.
4. Philips AED Value Package
This life-saving device provides true value for your money. It comes with an alarmed cabinet for easy storage at home and a slim carry case in case it is needed somewhere else. Also included are the pair of electrode pads, rescue ready kit, signs, batteries, and a user manual. There is also a slim carry case if you are going to bring this product somewhere else. It has an 8-year warranty that covers defects. Batteries used in this unit also last for 4 years while the electrodes only last for 2 years. Unfortunately, the batteries are not rechargeable. Users report that it is easy to set-up and use.
5. Philips OnSite Business AED Package
No expense is too much when it comes to investing in a life-saving device. This defibrillator is produced by one of the leading manufacturers of hospital equipment: Philips. The Philips Onsite Defibrillator Business Package comes with an 8-year warranty, a slim case and a set of adult electrodes. A cabinet with alarm as well as AED signs and rescue ready kit also comes in handy. This device uses a combination of low energy dose and a high current for minimizing the effects that may be harmful to fragile hearts. Users that are not fluent in the language of the instruction guide can still follow along with the graphics-based manual.
| Defibrillators | Our Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator (AED) | 4.8 | |
| Zoll AED Plus Package | 4.4 | |
 | Philips AED Value Package | 4.9 |
| Philips OnSite Business AED Package | 5.0 |
How does an automated external defibrillator work?
- Sticky pads that include sensors are connected to an individual’s chest when they are experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. The electrodes will transmit information about the heart’s rhythm to the AED’s computer. This computer will assess the hearts for them to determine if an electric shock is required.
- If an AED is used to shock the heart very soon after the start of a sudden cardiac arrest, it may be able to restore individuals normal heart rhythm. Statistics show that for every minute an individual is in cardiac arrest there is a 10% decrease in survival rate.
- It is especially important to get trained on the use of an automated external defibrillator as well as taking cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses if you want to be fully equipped to deal with an individual in sudden cardiac arrest.
- A recent study determined that having an automated external defibrillator in the home was essentially equivalent to having someone trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation on site.
- However, when CPR is combined with automated external defibrillation within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival increases significantly to over 75%.
Why does sudden cardiac arrest occur?
It’s important to understand that sudden cardiac arrest is not the same thing as a heart attack. You often see sudden cardiac arrest victims make front-page news. A healthy person, sometimes even a sports star or celebrity, someone who is in the bloom of their early 20s, will sometimes suddenly die.
These are rare but highly sensational events.
The Cleveland Clinic reports that one in a 100,000 to one in 300,000 athletes who are under the age of 35 are killed by sudden cardiac arrest.
Research suggests that people who suffer this form of cardiac arrest do not have to die- if you respond to within a minute with an automated external defibrillator it can significantly increase the chances that they survive. Sudden cardiac arrest is also referred to as sudden cardiac death.
While heart attacks occur because of a circulatory problem with the heart, sudden cardiac arrest occurs because of an electrical problem in the heart. It will occur when the electrical signals that manage your heart’s ability to pump short circuits. The heart will begin to beat perilously fast which will then cause its ventricles, which are the primary pumping chambers, to spasm and flutter. This means that instead of the coordinated pumping of blood, a rhythmic disturbance is created that is known as ventricular fibrillation.
Ventricular fibrillation will interrupt the pumping behavior of the heart.
This will cause it to stop the blood flow that the human body relies on. In response, a person who is suffering one of these cardiac arrests will lose consciousness and collapse, and not show a pulse or appear to be breathing. CPR needs to be immediately performed or even better and automated defibrillator will need to be used to shock the person. Unless these interventions are provided, the individual will likely die within minutes.
What are the causes of sudden cardiac arrest?
While it is well known that elevated blood pressure, cholesterol as well as the presence of diabetes can generate heart disease and elderly people, when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest deaths in the younger population there are some other, alternative causes.
Specifically, medical professionals point to the genetic inheritance of diseases of the myocardium, which is known as the hearts muscular tissue. As well as genetically inherited problems with the electrical system and other heart-related diseases. Medical professionals say that the number one cause is known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This refers to a thickening of the heart muscle that is highly abnormal-it means that the interior of the heart is not receiving enough blood supply during exercise.
How can you prevent sudden cardiac arrest?
If you have a teenager participating in athletics, make sure that they get a heart screening. The American Heart Association released a 14 step screening process- click here and check out their guidelines. The best thing to do is to maintain vigilance- pay attention to symptoms that are precursors to cardiac arrest like blackouts, chest pain, heart palpitations, fainting, dizziness as well as shortness of breath. Symptoms will typically manifest during or subsequent to exercise.
It’s important to note that younger people will sometimes ignore these symptoms and be disinclined to report them to school nurses or even to their parents. Parents must be persistent. You should be gentle, but if you have an instinct that something is wrong- make sure that you follow up with your child or young relative to ensure that they are not suffering from a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
The importance of automated external defibrillators
A growing consensus of medical professionals as well as sports educators concurs that every school and sporting event should be equipped with an accessible AED device. These life-saving devices don’t require technical skill to use.
You do not need to be a medical professional to effectively use one- they all come with easy-to-understand instructions.
When you attach the AED to the individual suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest, the device itself will diagnose and then effectively and automatically treat the rhythm abnormalities. If you would like to receive some training, the American Heart Association as well as the Red Cross provide training.
Try googling for training to discover nearby locations so that you can be trained to provide life-saving interventions should you need to. While some organizations worried that AEDs will increase their liability, it is well-known that the devices are effective at saving lives. There’s no reason not to have them stocked on-premises and for the public at large to feel comfortable using them in emergency situations.
