Do AED pads expire?
Yes. AED pads have a use-by date printed on the package or cartridge, and every manufacturer says to replace them before it passes. The date exists because the conductive gel and adhesive break down over time, even in a sealed package.
How long they last depends on the model. ZOLL’s CPR-D-padz for the AED Plus and CPR Uni-padz for the AED 3 have a 5-year shelf life. Stryker’s QUIK-STEP electrodes for the LIFEPAK CR2 and HeartSine’s Pad-Pak last 4 years, and Avive’s pad cartridge 3.5 years. Philips SMART Pads, Powerheart G5 pads and Defibtech Lifeline pads last about 2 years. The table at the end of this guide lists each model with its source.
Two things end a set of pads early: a use and a broken seal. Pads are single-use, so replace them after any rescue, even if no shock was given. And if a package or cartridge seal is broken, the gel can dry out long before the printed date: Stryker warns that the CR2’s electrodes dry out once their tray’s seal is broken.
The American Heart Association’s guide to on-site AED programs suggests keeping two sets of unexpired adult pads with each AED, so a second set is ready if the first is used or damaged.
How to find the expiration date on AED pads
Look on the outside of the pad package or cartridge for a date beside an hourglass symbol, labeled use by. On many AEDs you can read it without opening anything: through a window in the lid, on the back of the cartridge or on the status screen.
- ZOLL AED Plus and AED 3: a use-by date on the pads package. The AED 3’s self-test also checks it and tells you when the pads have expired.
- Philips HeartStart OnSite and FRx: on the pads package. Philips supplies a maintenance tag to copy the date onto, next to the battery’s install-by date.
- HeartSine samaritan PAD: printed on the back of the Pad-Pak as year-month-day, and it covers the battery too.
- Stryker LIFEPAK CR2: a use-by date next to an hourglass symbol on the electrodes.
- ZOLL Powerheart G5: visible through a window in the AED’s lid, and the AED reads it electronically.
- Defibtech Lifeline VIEW: printed on the sealed package and shown on the AED’s status screen.
- Avive Connect: on the back of the pad cartridge.
Write the date somewhere you’ll see it before it passes: on the AED’s inspection tag, in your AED inspection log sheet, or in software that warns you ahead of time.
Can you use expired AED pads?
Manufacturers say no: use only in-date pads, and replace expired ones. No manufacturer gives a grace period after the use-by date, so the safe plan is never to reach it.
The manuals are consistent. Philips warns that using expired accessories may cause the AED to perform improperly. Defibtech says not to use pads past their expiration date and to discard expired pads. Stryker says not to use damaged, expired or dried-out electrodes, and its LIFEPAK 1000 manual warns that dried-out or damaged electrodes can cause arcing and burns. Avive notes that its AED won’t stop someone using an expired cartridge, which makes checking the date the owner’s job.
If you find expired pads on an AED, take it out of service until new pads arrive, and point responders to the nearest working AED in the meantime. Then look at why it happened: usually nobody owned the date, or the reminder went to someone who had moved on.
Pad gel dryness and why it matters
AED pads work through a layer of conductive gel that sticks to the skin and carries the shock. As the gel dries, the pads stick less well and conduct less reliably, which is why the defibrillator pad gel dryness issue is the reason pads expire.
Manufacturers design the packaging to keep the gel moist. Philips tells owners not to open the cartridge’s hard cover or film seal until the pads are needed, so the gel doesn’t dry out, and to replace pads whose gel isn’t sticky. Philips’s FRx manual is blunt: dried-out pads won’t make good contact with the skin. Defibtech says to open the package only just before use, or the pads may dry out and stop working. HeartSine warns that an opened or damaged Pad-Pak may have dry gel and shouldn’t be used.
Storage matters too. Keep the AED within the temperature range in its manual: HeartSine units even beep when they’re stored outside it. During each monthly inspection, check that the pads package is sealed, undamaged and in date.
Adult vs pediatric AED pads
Children under 8 years or under 55 pounds need a lower-energy shock, and AEDs deliver it in one of three ways: separate pediatric pads, a key that switches the AED to child mode, or a child setting used with the same pads.
Some AEDs use separate child pads or a child cartridge, such as the ZOLL AED Plus’s Pedi-padz II and HeartSine’s Pediatric-Pak; the Philips HeartStart FRx uses a child key; and the ZOLL AED 3, LIFEPAK CR2 and Avive Connect switch to a child mode with the same pads. Separate child pads have their own expiration date, sometimes much shorter than the adult pads’: ZOLL’s Pedi-padz II last 2 years against 5 for its adult CPR-D-padz. Track them as their own item so they don’t lapse unnoticed.
When to use child pads, what to do if there are none, infant placement and every model’s child option are in our guide to pediatric AED pads.
How to replace AED pads
Order the replacement before the old pads expire, swap them following the manufacturer’s steps, check that the AED reports ready, and record the new expiration date.
- Order early, and order the right part. Pads are model-specific. Buy them from the manufacturer or an authorized distributor: the FDA advises buying AED accessories from authorized sources and checking that they’re approved.
- Check the new package for its date and an unbroken seal.
- Install them as the manual shows. On cartridge AEDs such as the Philips OnSite, HeartSine and Avive, the whole cartridge is replaced. On others you connect the new pads and store them in the AED’s tray or lid.
- Let the AED test itself. Many AEDs run a check when new pads go in, and then show their ready indicator.
- Record the new date in your log or tracking system, and dispose of the old pads as described below.
What to do with expired AED pads
Replace them first, then dispose of the old pads following the manufacturer and your local rules. Unused pads that never touched a patient can usually go in the trash; used pads are handled as infectious waste.
- Unused pads: ZOLL says unused or uncontaminated electrodes may go in the general trash unless they’re contaminated with pathogens.
- Used pads: Philips says to cut used pads off and dispose of them as infectious waste, then recycle the cartridge components. Ask your local authorities how infectious waste is handled where you are.
- Cartridges with a battery: HeartSine’s Pad-Pak contains lithium batteries and can’t go in normal waste. Recycle it or return it to an authorized distributor.
The same thinking applies to AED disposal as a whole. Stryker says the LIFEPAK CR2 and its accessories should be recycled, with the batteries removed and handled separately, and never put in unsorted municipal waste. Avive says to dispose of its AED and accessories under local regulations.
AED pad expiration by brand
Shelf life ranges from about 2 to 5 years, depending on the model. Always go by the date printed on your pads; this table is for planning.
| AED | Adult pads | Shelf life | For children |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZOLL AED Plus | CPR-D-padz | 5 years | Pedi-padz II (2-year shelf life) |
| ZOLL AED 3 | CPR Uni-padz | 5 years | Same pads, with Child Mode |
| Philips HeartStart OnSite | Adult SMART Pads Cartridge | At least 2 years from manufacture | Infant/Child SMART Pads Cartridge |
| Philips HeartStart FRx | SMART Pads II | At least 2 years from manufacture | Infant/Child Key |
| HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P, 360P, 450P | Pad-Pak (pads and battery) | 4 years from manufacture | Pediatric-Pak |
| Stryker LIFEPAK CR2 | QUIK-STEP electrodes | 4 years | Same pads, with Child Mode |
| Stryker LIFEPAK 1000 | QUIK-COMBO electrodes | At least 18 months left when shipped | Infant/child reduced-energy electrodes |
| ZOLL Powerheart G5 | Intellisense pads | 2 years (24 months) | Pediatric pads (24 months) |
| Defibtech Lifeline | DDP-100 pads | 2 years | Pediatric pads (2 years) |
| Defibtech Lifeline VIEW | DDP-2001 pads | 2 years in Defibtech’s catalog; 2.5 years from manufacture in its manual | Pediatric pads, same rule |
| Avive Connect | Pad cartridge (adult and child) | 3.5 years | Same cartridge, with the Child button |
Buying replacements: Philips lists its HeartStart OnSite adult pads cartridge at $99.00 in its US online store, and Avive lists its pad cartridge at $99.99. ZOLL and Stryker show prices only to signed-in account holders, and HeartSine and Defibtech sell through distributors, so ask your supplier for a quote. Battery replacement follows a similar schedule.
AED pads FAQ
Do AED pads expire?
Yes. Every set of AED pads has a use-by date, usually 2 to 5 years after manufacture depending on the model, because the gel that carries the shock dries out. Replace pads before that date and after any use.
Can you use expired AED pads?
Manufacturers say no. Expired pads may not stick to the skin or carry the shock properly, and no manufacturer gives a grace period. Take the AED out of service until new pads arrive.
How often do AED pads need to be replaced?
By their use-by date, 2 to 5 years after manufacture depending on the model, and right after every use. Separate pediatric pads can expire sooner than adult pads, so track them on their own.
How do you dispose of expired AED pads?
Unused pads can usually go in the trash, used pads are infectious waste, and cartridges with a built-in battery, such as HeartSine's Pad-Pak, must be recycled. Check your AED's manual and your local rules.
How does AED Log know when pads and batteries expire?
Pick the pad or battery from the catalog of 78 parts and its shelf life fills in the expiration date, which you can match to the label. A part that isn't in the catalog takes a typed date.