Study: Defibrillators often not available at emergencies - KCTV5

(CNN) – Automated external defibrillators or AED's are designed to save cardiac arrest victims, but new research finds the devices are often too far out of reach during an emergency.

Around a million AEDs have been sold around the U.S. in airports, shopping malls, and gyms.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania studied the locations of more than 2,000 AEDs and found that just 7 percent of cardiac arrests occurred within a 200-foot radius of a device.

They said their findings show that AEDs need to be more strategically placed and they need to find better ways to help people find them in an emergency.

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