Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) placed in public spaces can save the lives of people in cardiac arrest.
However, a new Canadian study finds too many of the devices are in buildings that aren’t always open, so bystanders can’t get them when needed.
The study, “serves as a vivid reminder that 24/7/365 access to AEDs is as important as their widespread placement,” said one specialist who reviewed the findings, Dr. Howard Levite. He directs cardiology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City.
