What is the purpose of defibrillation?

Defibrillation is a critical intervention used primarily to address life-threatening arrhythmias, specifically ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. The primary purpose of this procedure is to restore a normal heart rhythm. During ventricular fibrillation, the heart's electrical activity becomes chaotic, failing to pump effectively, which can lead to cardiac arrest. By delivering an electrical shock to the heart, defibrillation aims to reset the heart's electrical system, allowing it to return to a stable rhythm and resume normal pumping activity.

This intervention is crucial in emergency care, as immediate defibrillation can significantly improve the chances of survival following a cardiac arrest caused by these dangerous arrhythmias. In contrast, identifying other options reveals that while they pertain to cardiovascular health, they do not accurately reflect the primary goal of defibrillation. For instance, decreasing blood pressure during arrhythmias or improving oxygen delivery are not roles of this procedure. Similarly, while increasing heart rate can be important in certain contexts, such as during bradycardia, it does not capture the essence of what defibrillation accomplishes, which is the restoration of a normal rhythm rather than merely adjusting heart rate or blood pressure.