Should you get a home defibrillator? The debate is on… If you have ever watched a medical based show on TV, chances are you have seen these life saving devices in action. The pads go on, someone yells clear you hear "ca—ching—-beeeeeep". The person is then ok, or is shocked again. It's now possible for you to have this device at home. This device is known as an AED, or automated external defibrillator.

AEDs are now available over the counter without a prescription. Whether or not you need one requires you to examine the pros and cons of owning one. Then talk to your doctor and see if it is worth the investment.

A defibrillator is a device that delivers a shock to the heart in hopes of restoring normal heart rate. There are pads that are placed on the person's chest that the shock goes through. We know that most people who suffer from a sudden heart attack do so because their heart is going through ventricular fibrillation. This is an abnormal rhythm where the electrical signals in the lower part of the heart are not working as they should which makes the pumping very ineffective. If ventricular fibrillation is not treated it will result in death.

We know that if the shock is delivered within five minutes of the onset of the heart attack, there is a 50 percent increase in survival. It can take an ambulance up to nine minutes to arrive on scene. So, 10 minutes after onset of the heart attack, the person's chance for survival is 1 percent.

If you own an AED then you could grab it and easily connect it to the chest of the person experiencing the heart attack. Once the defibrillator senses if there is a normal rhythm or not a shock is delivered. This jolt then can reset the heart rhythm and possibly save the person's life. This is in no way a cure or substitution for immediate medical care. It is also highly recommended that the person with the home defibrillator complete a CPR class.

Should you have the home defibrillator or not? Well, you need to look at your personal circumstances. What is your risk, or that of those in your household for having a sudden cardiac arrest? To determine this, talk with your doctor. Remember that the home defibrillator only works for specific types of cardiac arrests.

What is your living arrangement? If you live alone, the home defibrillator really isn't going to help you much. There will be no one there to use the AED on you. What are your physical abilities? You or a family member will need to be able to sit or squat on the floor to use the device and be able to get back up. The cost is also another deciding factor. AEDs are not cheap, most cost over one thousand dollars and your health insurance will probably not pick up the tab on that one.

The debate over whether everyone should have a home defibrillator will wage on. The best advice I can offer you, is you decide if you need one. Here's the way I look at it - you buy car insurance in case you have an accident. You have homeowners insurance to protect you in case something happens to your home. You can look at a home defibrillator the same way; it is something that is good to have in case someone around you is having a heart attack.