What term describes the procedure of delivering a shock to the heart using pads placed on the chest?

• A. Internal Defibrillation
• B. Cardioversion
• C. External Defibrillation
• D. Pacemaker Therapy

Answer: (C)

Delivering a shock to the heart with pads placed on the chest is external defibrillation. In this approach, an external defibrillator (like an AED or manual device) sends a high-energy shock through the chest to reset the heart’s electrical activity when the rhythm is chaotic, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. The energy comes from outside the body, unlike internal defibrillation, which uses a device implanted inside the body. Cardioversion, by contrast, is a synchronized shock used for certain stable tachyarrhythmias with a pulse, aiming to restore a normal rhythm rather than treat a pulseless arrest. Pacemaker therapy involves a device that paces the heart, not a shock. So the term that fits the scenario of using chest pads to deliver a shock is external defibrillation.