What is Automated external defibrillator?
[[File:Automated External Defibrillator Amsterdam airport.jpg|thumb|Defibrillator at the airport in Amsterdam]] [[File:Public access AED with coded lock.jpg|thumb|right|This public access AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is fitted with a coded lock so that only the Ambulance Service can give callers access to the unit. This is to prevent it from being stolen or misused.]] [[File:Automated External Defibrillator (symbol).svg|thumb|Standard symbol, to show the location of an Automated External Defibrillator.]] [[File:Desfibrilador público.jpg|thumb|Very often, signs in public stations show the location of AEDs. This one is in Munich metro.]] An '''automated external defibrillator''' is a special type of [[defibrillator]] which can be used by people without medical education. A defibrillator is used to treat certain kinds of heart problems using controlled electric shocks. Almost all heart problems are [[medical emergency|medical emergencies]]. For each minute, that such a heart problem is left untreated, the chance of survival drops by about ten percent. Even if they are alerted immediately, emergency teams take some time to arrive. For this reason automated external defibrillators have been placed in locations where they are easily accessible, such as [[airport]]s, and [[railway station]]s. In many cases, using such a defibrillator will alert emergency services. Very often, the defibrillator will guide the person helping through its use. In some countries such as the [[United Kingdom]], regional public ambulance services provide lists for people to show where all the publicly accessible defibrillators are located in their region ([http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/your-service/campaigns/Community-Public-Access-Defibrillators-in-EEAST.xlsx East of England Ambulance Services Trust]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} for example). In some open public locations, defibrillators are secured in special cases which need a code to open them (see the example on the right). When you