The mismatch between where cardiac arrest is most likely to happen and where automated external defibrillators (AEDS) are most likely placed may help explain in part the low survival rate for this “significant public health problem,” according to a Canadian study published yesterday online in Annals of Emergency Medicine (“Determining Risk for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest by Location Type in a Canadian Urban Setting to Guide Future Public Access Defibrillator Placement”).

In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, killing about 600,000 people each year. Voluntary consensus standards can play an important role in supporting both healthy lifestyle choices that reduce the risk of heart disease, and effective medical responses for those already suffering from the condition.