What is the primary purpose of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

The primary purpose of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is to restore normal heart rhythm. An AED is a portable device designed to treat individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest due to abnormal heart rhythms, specifically ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. By delivering an electric shock, known as defibrillation, the AED aims to reset the heart's electrical system, allowing it to re-establish a normal rhythm.

While providing oxygen and monitoring heart rate are important aspects of cardiac care, they are not the main functions of an AED. Additionally, the AED itself does not prevent cardiac arrest; rather, it is a critical intervention that is used after cardiac arrest has occurred, with the goal of increasing the chances of survival and restoring normal physiological function.