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(Circulation. 1998;97:1654-1667.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.

AHA Scientific Statement

Low-Energy Biphasic Waveform Defibrillation: Evidence-Based Review Applied to Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidelines

A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association Committee on Emergency Cardiovascular Care and the Subcommittees on Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Resuscitation

Writing Group and Panel of Expert Reviewers; Richard O. Cummins, MD¹; Mary Fran Hazinski, RN, Cochairs¹; Richard E. Kerber, MD¹; Peter Kudenchuk, MD¹; Lance Becker, MD; Graham Nichol, MD; Barbara Malanga, BSEE; Tom P. Aufderheide, MD¹; Edward M. Stapleton, EMT-P¹; Karl Kern, MD¹; Joseph P. Ornato, MD; Arthur Sanders, MD¹; Terence Valenzuela, MD¹; ; Mickey Eisenberg, MD¹

Key Words: AHA Medical/Scientific Statements • defibrillation • sudden death • cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Disclosure Statement

Researchers have only recently conducted out-of-hospital human studies that document outcomes of transthoracic defibrillation using a low-energy biphasic waveform shock. The American Heart Association Committee on Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and its subcommittees included prepublication reports of these studies in this review of transthoracic biphasic waveform defibrillation. The writing group and a panel of invited experts have diligently attempted to assess the quality of the studies reviewed here by using a formal evidence-based template, which is summarized in this statement.

The experts most familiar with defibrillation technology and assessment are often recipients of research support from manufacturers of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Several of the authors and expert reviewers of this report have signed disclosure statements acknowledging training or research support from one or more AED manufacturers. However, in every case, support was administered through the academic institutions employing those individuals. No one has disclosed receiving personal salary support or consultant's fees from any AED manufacturer, nor has anyone disclosed that they are or were a shareholder, paid advisor, or member of an advisory board of an AED manufacturer. The same is true of ECC Committee members with one exception, an employee of an AED manufacturer who abstained from discussions of the reviewed material and this statement.

The final statement was reviewed and approved by the AHA Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee, 2 ECC science advisors, and 2 AHA vice presidents. These reviewers were familiar with the comments and recommendations of the expert reviewers and their disclosure statements. It was . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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