What is the difference between fibrillator and defibrillator?

Answer 1

Putting it into simple terms, a pacemaker helps the heart beat whereas a defibrillator stops the heart for a moment. Pacemakers generate electrical activity in the heart for patients with certain cardiac arrythmias. A defibrillator actually generates a shock so strong that it stops the heart's electrical activity. The heart (unlike most muscles) generates its own electrical impulse and can therefore hopefully restart itself after this big shock. Defibrillators are usually used for more serious cardiac arrythmias.
Yes, a very big difference:

• a defibrillator is used to stop a heart that is beating in a random rhythm without moving blood in a pattern called Ventricular Fibrillation, to do this the defibrillator applies a single large shock which stops the heart completely briefly then the heart (usually) self starts with a normal rhythm that moves blood as it should; if the heart restarts in the random rhythm it will be necessary to repeat the single large shock
• a pacemaker is used to keep a heart beating with a normal rhythm that sometimes "forgets" to beat by applying small periodic shocks all the time at the pace of the normal rhythm

Answer 2

Defibrillator-Monitors the heart to detect fibrillation and delivers a small shock to revert the heart to normal sinus rhythm. Otherwise it stays silent with no activity until the fibrillation occurs.

Pacemaker-Continuously stimulates the heart electrically to beat, setting up a regular rhythm. Used in patients who have a dysfunctioning sinoatrial or atrioventricular node or those who suffer from complete heart block (where no electrical signal can get from the atria to the ventricles, leading to a very low heart rate).

Answer 3

a pacemaker is a low current heart monitor it gives low pulses to keep the heart in rythm, defibulator is high charged and shocks the heart to get back into rythm like paddles you see on tv shows when they say clear and shock someone on the chest.

Answer 4

Classically pacemaker senses when the heart beat is too slow and provides impulses to help it beat at an adequately fast rate. newer ones can sense some abnormally fast rhythms and try to correct them by "overdrive pacing" (it paces faster until ti controls the rhythm and then slows it back down).

AICD's detect certain abnormal rhythms and deliver a large shock to terminate them.

Answer 5

a fibrillator is for open heart surgery, a defibrillator is to re-start the heart.