The Food & Drug Administration today announced a program for improving the safety and efficacy of automated external defibrillators.
The federal watchdog agency said it’s received 28,000 reports of AED failures in the last five years, yet 300,000 Americans could benefit from treatment from the devices every year.
AEDs are designed to treat cardiac arrest and both diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythms. While some external defibrillators and intended for medical professionals, AEDs are turning up in homes and public locations with simpler designs.