Sequential shocks as an antiarrhythmic therapy

A defibrillator, comprising:

• a measurement circuit configured to detect an electrocardiogram (ECG) of a subject by detecting a voltage across electrodes configured to be disposed on skin of the subject;
• a treatment circuit comprising a capacitor;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine, by analyzing a segment of the ECG that is not indicative of ventricular fibrillation (VF), that the subject is predicted to develop VF;
• and
• in response to determining that the subject is predicted to develop VF, prevent the subject from developing VF by causing the treatment circuit to output a sequence of external shocks to a heart of the subject by:
• outputting a first external shock by partially discharging the capacitor;
• and
• outputting a second external shock by partially discharging the capacitor.