( CNN ) -- The Food and Drug Administration warned this week that thousands of Philips automated external defibrillators ( AED ) might not be able to deliver a needed shock in a cardiac emergency situation . The agency said Tuesday customers should keep the defibrillators -- designed for home use and use by emergency responders -- until a replacement arrives . In 2012 , Philips recalled about 700,000 of the devices , saying a problem with an internal electrical component problem could falsely indicate the AED was ready to use , according to the FDA . Last month , Philips updated its customers to say that the part failure could also cause the AEDs to be unable to deliver a shock . `` Despite current manufacturing and performance problems , the FDA considers the benefits of attempting to use an AED in a cardiac arrest emergency greater than the risk of not attempting to use the defibrillator , '' said Steve Silverman , director of the office of compliance in the FDA 's Center for Devices and Radiological Health . The FDA issued recommendations in a safety communication for using the devices during emergency situations and monitoring the readiness of the AED . AEDs analyze heart rhythm and deliver a shock to return the heart beat to normal . The devices were sold between 2005 and 2012 by Philips Healthcare with model names HeartStart FRx , HeartStart HS1 Home , and HeartStart HS1 OnSite . Doctors develop a heart with no pulse . If you think you might have one of these products in your home or office , call Philips HealthCare and they will replace it . The phone number is 1-800-263-3342 or e-mail , HeartStartCapacitorAction @ philips.com .
FDA says a problem with the device may prevent effective treatment to patient . FDA issues recommendation on how to use device . Keep the device until you get a replacement , FDA says .