Atrial fibrillation mimicking ventricular fibrillation confuses an automated external defibrillator

In-hospital AF mimicking VF in monitored patients has been described before [2, 3], but ours is the first report of inappropriate AED therapy for AF mimicking VF during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. See PDF.] Electrocardiogram of automated external defibrillator showing initial rhythm assessment (panel 1), and second rhythm check after two minutes (panel 2) resulting in a shock (panel 3) It is important to recognise that in current clinical practice we do not routinely retrieve and analyse AED electrocardiograms, and AED shocks are generally used as a proxy for VF.