Defibrillator AED Electrode Pads

Defibrillator pads need to be replaced at least every two years if they have not been used. Replacing them is a really important part of the upkeep of a rescue ready defibrillator. The reason you need to replace the pads is because the adhesive that lines the ‘body side’ of the pad perishes after 18 months/2 years, and needs to be fresh in order to work properly on a patient. This is the same reason you need to replace pads after every rescue. The lining in these will have disappeared in use, deeming the pad itself useless. For the best chance of saving a life, replace your pads regularly.

There’s two ways to understand whether your defibrillator pads are expired. Both are simple but both are important. Firstly, check your defib pad packaging to find an expiry date on the label. There’s chance that this will be signified by a small hour glass with a date next to it, but either way, it should be self-explanatory. This date will tell you how long you can use the pads for. The closer the date gets, the more you should look to ensure you have a back-up supply of defibrillator pads.

The second way you know you need new pads is even easier – if you use the pads on a rescue situation, you need new pads. You cannot reuse pads once they’ve been used on someone. The adhesive gel will no longer work, and will jeopardise any future rescue.

Defibrillator pads can only be used once. After each rescue, you must replace the pads to ensure they work in case another emergency requires another set of shocks.

It’s important to remember this, and that as well as being used, defib pads must also be replaced after their expiration date, usually around 2 years after you buy them. There is a expiration date on the packaging that you can use to judge how long until your next renewal.

It’s really important to keep your defibrillator pads in good condition because they are an important part of the rescue equipment on a defibrillator. Without these pads in good condition, it’s impossible to perform an emergency shock on a patient to the best possible outcome. If your pads are damaged, out of date or have already been used, there’s a high chance that the patient won’t get the shock they need to help them survive. There is no point having a defibrillator if you aren’t going to keep defib pads in good condition.