Automatic external defibrillation of patients after myocardial infarction by family members: practical aspects and psychological impact of training.

Automatic external defibrillation (AED) offers the potential for minimally trained individuals to convert life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias prior to arrival of emergency rescue personnel but optimum usage of AED remains undefined. To test the practical aspects of home AED in high risk patients after myocardial infarction, we identified 40 consecutive high risk post-MI patients, who satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fifteen (38%) patients were eliminated at their physician's request and nine others refused to participate. Twenty-six family members of the remaining 16 patients were trained in AED with follow-up testing at 3 months. Level of skill, especially in CPR performance, decline to unsatisfactory levels in 35% of trainees, including all over age 55. Trainees felt more confident due to availability of AED and 90% felt no strain in intrapersonal relationships. Psychological testing revealed a decrease in patient and trainee depression scores and no change in anxiety or obsessiveness during the study. These observations suggest the following: (1) better awareness of benefits of AED by physicians and lay persons is necessary, (2) retraining at less than 3 month intervals will be required for many spouse trainees and (3) there are no common adverse psychologic sequelae to training in AED.