Ease of Use

Using an AED in a real-life emergency can be very challenging for a frightened layperson. All AEDs prompt users in their use, but several studies have shown dramatic differences in AED use success rates between many popular models.

Philips HeartStart AEDs lead the pack with voice instructions that continually adapt to the user’s actions, and don’t just recite a static script.

In studies Philips defibrillators consistently earn the highest marks in key areas such as user success, pad placement accuracy, time to shock, and user preference.

CPR Integration

Modern resuscitation science and the most recent American Heart Association guidelines point to the fact that performing CPR in conjunction with using a defibrillator is more important than ever thought before. CPR does much more than just buy time to get an AED.

Performing good CPR between defibrillation shocks actually “primes” the heart to receive a shock, and improves the success of defibrillation. But time is of the essence - defibrillation shocks need to come within several seconds of the end of CPR chest compressions to be of the most benefit.

Philips HeartStart AEDs all feature Quick Shock technology, which dramatically decreases the time interval from the end of a CPR pause to when the AED is ready to deliver a shock to around 8 seconds. Additionally, the HeartStart OnSite and FRx Defibrillators offer real-time detailed CPR coaching which calmly talks flustered responders though the steps of adult, child, or infant CPR, and even provide a compression metronome to keep rescuers pressing at just the right speed.

Effectiveness

Defibrillation technology has evolved significantly in recent years. The electrical “shock” delivered by an AED can be very different from device to device. Some defibrillation waveforms have been proven to result in much higher patient survival rates.

Unlike older technology AEDs that need to increase the energy after each shock to higher, and more damaging levels, Philips HeartStart AEDs measure the patient’s chest wall resistance, and deliver a computer-tailored perfect shock for that patient – on the first shock, and every shock. No more “trial and error” defibrillation and wasting time waiting for the last shock to get the AED’s full therapy.

So why is Philips’ defibrillation waveform so much better than the others? Philips (actually HeartStream, back then) was the first to introduce biphasic defibrillation to an external defibrillator. That biphasic waveform – SMART Biphasic was designed to be the ideal defibrillation waveform for humans. This waveform was exhaustively studied, in the lab and the real world, and the results were so impressive, that the American Heart Association eventually adopted biphasic defibrillation as a recommendation for all defibrillators. The rest of the AED industry had to play catch-up, and all eventually introduced some type of biphasic waveform into their defibrillators as well. Philips’ many patents on SMART Biphasic mean that other manufacturers can’t deliver this same proven therapy.

Tried and true, Philips SMART Biphasic waveform is the most studied and clinically documented biphasic waveform in existence. SMART Biphasic is also patented by Philips, so you won’t find it on any other AED.