Understanding the Importance of the Lay Responder Experience in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Published: March 21, 2022

A group of bystanders watch a man perform CPR while another calls 911.
  • Public-access defibrillation has saved countless lives. However, AEDs remain underused and the increased use of AEDs can contribute to improving survival from out of hospital cardiac arrest.
  • Although barriers exist with more consistent AED use, there are many opportunities to address the barriers with new approaches to public-access AED program implementation, including changing the behavior or potential users, improving availability and knowledge of location and use of AEDs, working with existing emergency dispatch, and improving device technology.
  • This statement summarizes specific policy suggestions and identifies the knowledge gaps for future research. Continued evolution of our approach to public-access defibrillation with increased early CPR, rhythm detection, and defibrillation will improve cardiac safety in our communities and ultimately increase survival after OHCA.