[Automated external defibrillators: perspectives and outlook]

In Germany about 80.000 patients die of sudden cardiac death each year with enormous human, social and economic consequences. Most cases of sudden cardiac death are caused by ischemia-triggered ventricular fibrillation. A precondition for survival of the victims is an optimally and fast reacting "chain of survival". One of the central links of this chain is timely defibrillation, which is the only effective therapy for treatment of ventricular fibrillation. Automated external defibrillators proved to be a major step forward in improvement of resuscitation results. It has been convincingly demonstrated, that these devices not only are safe and efficacious in the hands of rescue personnel of different qualification degrees but also in the hands of minimally trained "first responders" and even in the hands of untrained lay people. This story of success was paralleled by the development of a new generation of biphasic defibrillators, which have a superior efficacy, are lightweight and are even cheaper than conventional devices. It must however kept in mind, that progress offered by these new opportunities will only translate in better resuscitation results, when programmes are thoroughly planned, will stay under continuous quality control with regard to performance of devices and rescuers and if new knowledge in resuscitation is adequately incorporated in action protocols.