Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An electrical device used to counteract fibrillation of the heart muscle and restore normal heartbeat by applying a brief electric shock.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun medicine An electronic device used internally or externally that delivers a controlled electric shock to a patient to correct ventricular fibrillation, a lack of coordination of the contraction of muscle tissue of the large chambers of the heart.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an electronic device that administers an electric shock of preset voltage to the heart through the chest wall in an attempt to restore the normal rhythm of the heart during ventricular fibrillation

Etymologies

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Examples

  • If an automated external defibrillator is available, people assisting a cardiac-arrest patient should attach the device to the victim and follow its instructions.

    Study Backs Simpler CPR for Patients Jennifer Corbett Dooren 2010

  • In 2008, the heart group said untrained bystanders or those unwilling to do rescue breaths could do hands-only CPR until paramedics arrive or a defibrillator is used to restore a normal heart beat.

    CPR First Aid Changes: Chest Presses First, Then Mouth-To-Mouth AP 2010

  • In 2008, the heart group said untrained bystanders or those unwilling to do rescue breaths could do hands-only CPR until paramedics arrive or a defibrillator is used to restore a normal heart beat.

    CPR First Aid Changes: Chest Presses First, Then Mouth-To-Mouth AP 2010

  • Dr. Wilkoff also said CRT devices are typically implanted with an additional feature called a defibrillator that delivers a shock to prevent a different electrical disturbance, such as a runaway heartbeat called ventricular fibrillation.

    Scrutiny for Heart Devices Ron Winslow 2011

  • Dr. Wilkoff also said CRT devices are typically implanted with an additional feature called a defibrillator that delivers a shock to prevent a different electrical disturbance, such as a runaway heartbeat called ventricular fibrillation.

    Scrutiny for Heart Devices Ron Winslow 2011

  • In many cases, a medical device called a defibrillator can restart a stopped heart by delivering an electrical shock, but only if it is used quickly.

    Hospital Defibrillator Use Appears Slow 2008

  • During an exam in June, doctors determined that the battery in the defibrillator was a bit low and they decided to replace the whole device instead of just giving him a new battery.

    CNN Transcript Jul 28, 2007 2007

  • As you know, the vice president has an implantable cardiac defibrillator, which is designed to combat ventricular fibrillation or ventricular -- any kind of ventricular arrhythmia.

    CNN Transcript Nov 26, 2007 2007

  • And when they could, they then implanted a defibrillator, that is a sort of a pacemaker-plus, as the vice president calls it.

    CNN Transcript Jun 30, 2001 2001

  • A defibrillator, which is a device used to shock the heart, was used on Gabbard before he was rushed to the hospital.

    StarTribune.com rss feed 2011

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