Where are defibrillator pads placed on the chest for standard adult AED use?

Where are defibrillator pads placed on the chest for standard adult AED use?

• A. On the left chest and right shoulder
• B. On the abdomen and lower back
• C. Right of the upper sternum and the left below the left nipple
• D. On the back between the shoulder blades

Answer: (C)

Defibrillator pads for adults are placed so the electrical current travels through the heart. One pad goes on the right side of the chest, just below the collarbone and to the right of the sternum. The other pad is placed on the left side of the chest, below the left nipple, roughly along the mid-axillary line. This anterior–lateral placement directs the shock through the heart for the best chance of correcting a life-threatening rhythm. Placing pads on the abdomen and lower back or on the back between the shoulder blades would not route the current through the heart in the standard setup.

Defibrillator pads for adults are placed so the electrical current travels through the heart. One pad goes on the right side of the chest, just below the collarbone and to the right of the sternum. The other pad is placed on the left side of the chest, below the left nipple, roughly along the mid-axillary line. This anterior–lateral placement directs the shock through the heart for the best chance of correcting a life-threatening rhythm. Placing pads on the abdomen and lower back or on the back between the shoulder blades would not route the current through the heart in the standard setup.