What is the most likely cardiac rhythm indicated by an AED that states a shock is advised?

Study for the JBL Cardiology Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has helpful hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The statement from the AED indicating that a shock is advised typically points to either ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, both of which are shockable rhythms. Among the choices provided, ventricular fibrillation is a chaotic electrical activity in the heart that results in ineffective quivering rather than coordinated beats, significantly reducing cardiac output and leading to cardiac arrest. An AED is designed to detect this rhythm because the goal of defibrillation is to restore a normal rhythm by delivering a shock that can help reset the heart's electrical activity.

Ventricular tachycardia, while also a shockable rhythm, typically presents with a more organized pattern than ventricular fibrillation. The AED prioritizes the chaotic nature of ventricular fibrillation, making it the primary rhythm indicated for shock advice.

Asystole represents a complete lack of electrical activity in the heart and does not respond to defibrillation, while pulseless electrical activity depicts a state where electrical activity is present but not resulting in effective heartbeats. These rhythms are not shockable, therefore an AED would not recommend a shock for them.

In summary, when an AED states that a shock is advised, it primarily indicates the presence of ventricular fibrillation, an erratic rhythm that urgently requires defibr

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