In which situation should an AED be used in addition to performing CPR?

Using an AED in conjunction with CPR is crucial in cases of cardiac arrest regardless of the cause unless certain specific circumstances dictate otherwise. The scenario where a person goes into cardiac arrest due to a traumatic injury is particularly noteworthy because, while trauma may complicate the use of an AED, advanced protocols for treating cardiac arrest in traumatic cases often still recommend its use in conjunction with CPR when there is evidence of cardiac arrest.

In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, survival rates improve significantly with immediate and proper use of an AED along with CPR, regardless of underlying causes. Other scenarios, such as in infants or specific conditions like those involving pacemakers, may have additional considerations that could complicate the immediate use of an AED. In contrast, a heart attack is not synonymous with cardiac arrest and would not warrant AED use unless the heart attack leads to a cardiac arrest situation.

Thus, using an AED with CPR during traumatic arrest aligns with best practices in emergency response, underlining the importance of immediate action in all suspected cases of cardiac arrest.