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If you've ever watched a TV medical drama, chances are you've seen someone shocked back to life by a doctor who yells, "Clear" before delivering a jolt of electricity to the person's chest to get the heart beating again.

The machine being used is called a defibrillator, and its use isn't limited to a hospital setting. Devices called automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be used at home and in schools and are also found in a number of public places. These lightweight, portable devices are available without a prescription.

If you have severe heart disease, you're at risk of sudden cardiac arrest and might want to consider having an AED. But AEDs can resuscitate you only if you have a specific type of heart rhythm problem. Talk to your doctor about whether owning an AEDs could help save your life.