FDA Approves New Heart Shockers

The Food and Drug Administration has approved smaller, cheaper machines that can shock a stopped heart into beating again, a move that could help make the devices as common as first-aid kits. About the size of a book, Heartstream Inc.’s ForeRunner weighs just 4 pounds, half the weight of the smallest defibrillator now available. It will cost between $3,000 and $4,000. And unlike older competitors, ForeRunner has a computer screen that automatically analyzes and displays the patient’s heart rhythm so emergency workers can see how well the person is responding.