The Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association
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Multicenter Study
Automated external defibrillators used by emergency medical technicians: report of the 1992 experience in Kentucky.
Automated external defibrillators (AED) have been authorized for use by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) in Kentucky since March 1991. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) which use these devices are required to submit annual reports to the EMS Branch. During 1992, 17 services were approved to use AEDs. ⋯ This percentage is comparable with the survival rates reported from other predominately rural states where AEDs have been used by EMTs. Possible protocol violations and inadequate documentation were also identified from these reports. In summary, EMTs in predominately rural Kentucky can use AEDs to achieve survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest comparable with other rural states.