- Heartsaver CPR AED combines an AHA brand name (Heartsaver), CPR, and the automated external defibrillator (AED) into one course.
- AHA issues a course-completion card, not a certification in CPR; skills performance is what earns it.
- The course path covers 12 topics, and the child and infant topics (Domains 3, 4, 6, 7) are optional.
- The optional written exam, if given, needs at least 84% and allows open resources; online study alone is never enough.
Decoding the Name, Word by Word
The phrase "Heartsaver CPR AED" looks like alphabet soup, but each piece has a precise job. Reading it left to right tells you most of what the course is and who it is built for.
- Heartsaver: the name of the American Heart Association (AHA) course family designed for people with little or no medical training. It is a brand, not a medical term. Heartsaver courses cover workplace and community responders such as teachers, coaches, office staff, and parents.
- CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In this course that means chest compressions and rescue breaths for people in cardiac arrest.
- AED: automated external defibrillator, the portable device that analyzes a heart rhythm and, if appropriate, delivers a shock. Using one is a core skill in the course.
So the title stands for a lay-rescuer course from the AHA that teaches CPR and AED use. For a broader orientation, see What Is Heartsaver CPR AED? and the companion explainer on Heartsaver CPR AED meaning.
What the Card Actually Documents
Many learners assume the word "certification" applies. The AHA is careful here: it issues a course-completion card that documents satisfactory performance at the end of the course, and it explicitly distinguishes that from certifying someone in CPR. In practice, employers and regulators routinely accept the card as proof of training, but the wording is worth knowing so you describe your credential accurately on a resume or compliance form. If you want the certification framing explored further, our page on what Heartsaver CPR AED certification means covers how people use the term in everyday speech.
The card is valid for two years through the end of the month it was issued. Renewal options, requirements, and prices are arranged through the Training Center that issues your card. No separate continuing-education quota was verified for this course-completion card.
The 12 Topics Behind the Name
The AHA publishes a topic list showing which topics apply to each Heartsaver course path. For the CPR AED path, twelve topics are listed. They are unweighted preparation-curriculum topics, not an official exam blueprint, and the AHA does not publish percentage weights or name a largest domain. For a deeper walk-through, see the complete guide to all 12 content areas.
Domain 1 and Domain 12: Introduction and Conclusion
The framing topics at the start and end of the course. They set expectations and close the session, and they are part of the listed path.
Domain 2: Adult CPR AED: Compressions, Breaths, and AED
The heart of the course and the skill you are tested on directly.
- Recognizing cardiac arrest and activating emergency response
- High-quality compressions and rescue breaths
- Attaching and following an AED
Domains 3 and 4: Child and Infant CPR AED
Optional components. They are taught when a learner or workplace needs them, such as childcare or school settings. The optional infant AED material is part of the current course column.
Domains 5, 6, 7: Adult, Child, and Infant Choking Relief
Adult choking relief is a required topic. The child and infant choking topics are optional alongside the child and infant CPR components.
Domains 8 to 11: Opioid-Associated Emergency, Water Competency and Drowning, Heart Attack, Stroke
These four are required in the CPR AED path and are easy to overlook if you only studied older materials.
- Recognizing and responding to an opioid-associated emergency
- Water competency and drowning
- Recognizing a heart attack
- Recognizing a stroke
In summary: the required topics are Introduction, Adult CPR AED, Adult Choking Relief, Opioid-Associated Emergency, Water Competency and Drowning, Heart Attack, Stroke, and Conclusion. The optional topics are Child CPR AED, Infant CPR AED, Child Choking Relief, and Infant Choking Relief. Topics marked not applicable for this path, including the separate First Aid curriculum, are excluded.
Not First Aid, Not BLS: Name Confusion to Avoid
Search results and even some provider pages use "Heartsaver" as shorthand for several different courses. That is the single biggest source of confusion around the name. The table below separates the neighbors.
| Course | Audience | Scope note |
|---|---|---|
| Heartsaver CPR AED | Lay responders with little or no medical training | CPR, AED, choking, plus opioid, drowning, heart attack, and stroke topics; child and infant parts optional |
| Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED | Lay responders who also need first aid | Adds the separate First Aid curriculum, which is excluded from CPR AED |
| BLS | Healthcare providers | A different provider-level course, not interchangeable with Heartsaver |
| Instructor Essentials | People becoming instructors | A teaching credential pathway, not a learner course |
One practical wrinkle: the student eBook included with the online product is a combined Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED eBook. Its presence does not expand the CPR AED scope. If you are weighing the two courses, our guide on Heartsaver CPR AED requirements helps you match the course to what an employer asks for.
How You Are Assessed
The name says CPR and AED, and the assessment reflects that: it is mostly about what your hands can do.
Skills tests are the core
To earn the card you complete the applicable course curriculum and satisfactorily perform the Adult CPR and AED Skills Test. When the optional child and infant components are taught, you also perform the Child CPR and Infant CPR Skills Tests. A separate fixed skills-test duration is not publicly verified, so do not assume a set time on the clock.
The written exam is optional
A written exam is optional and tied to employer or regulatory needs. If one is administered, the current policy requires at least 84%, allows reference materials, uses scenario-based questions, and imposes no AHA-mandated completion time. Open resources include the workbook or eBook, your notes, and the guidelines; discussing answers with other students or the instructor during the exam is prohibited. The exact question count for this course is not publicly verified, and no pass rate is disclosed.
Delivery Formats and Cost Mechanics
"CPR AED" in the title does not tell you how you will take the course. Several formats exist, and all of them involve a hands-on skills component. Online study alone is insufficient.
- Classroom: instructor-led teaching and skills practice in one session. The AHA estimates about 1.5 hours of instructor-led instruction for the required topics, excluding optional topics and breaks. Actual duration depends on configuration.
- Blended: you finish the online portion first, then complete hands-on assessment with an instructor.
- Self-guided (Heartsaver Direct): online learning followed by warm-up, practice, and skills testing at a manikin training station.
- Virtual: instructor-observed hands-on completion using a training kit and feedback app, so shared-room attendance is not universal.
Before you book, confirm that the configuration you choose issues the exact Heartsaver CPR AED card.
Key Takeaway
The online purchase and the card are not the same thing. The official AHA online product (2025 Heartsaver CPR AED Online, product 25-1401) is listed at USD $19.50 and includes the student eBook, but the required hands-on skills session is bought separately. Independent Training Centers set all-inclusive and renewal fees, so no national fee schedule applies.
The online product was released October 22, 2025 and replaces product 20-1401. Its listing's continuing-education termination date is not the same as your card's expiry. The course follows the 2025 AHA Guidelines, and teaching materials in the U.S. were required to reflect them from March 1, 2026. For a full breakdown of where your money goes, read Heartsaver CPR AED certification cost, and for the training pathway itself see Heartsaver CPR AED training.
Who Uses This Card and What to Verify
The course is built for learners with little or no medical training. No prior credential, degree, experience hours, or references are specified, and the AHA sets no minimum learner age, though you must demonstrate the required skills. In practice the card appears in jobs and volunteer roles where a lay responder is expected to act in an emergency: schools, childcare, fitness and recreation settings, workplaces with AEDs, and community organizations. For a look at the roles that ask for it, see Heartsaver CPR AED jobs.
Two cautions keep expectations realistic:
- Check the employer's wording. Some require First Aid CPR AED, others BLS. Do not assume a Heartsaver CPR AED card is accepted everywhere; ask the employer or program in writing.
- Do not expect a standalone pay bump. No Heartsaver-specific salary distribution or causal earnings premium was found. The card is a prerequisite for some roles, not an occupation of its own. Compare workplace requirements and total cost instead; our ROI analysis and salary guide explain how to think about value without inventing numbers.
A Topic-Ordered Review Plan
You do not need a long campaign for a course this focused, but ordering your review by topic helps, especially if an employer requires the optional written exam. A quick plan tied to the actual domains:
Adult CPR AED first (Domains 2 and 5)
- Practice the compression, breath, and AED sequence until it is automatic, since this is the tested skill
- Review adult choking relief
The newer required topics (Domains 8 to 11)
- Opioid-associated emergency, drowning and water competency, heart attack, and stroke
- These are the topics older study decks often miss
Optional child and infant topics (Domains 3, 4, 6, 7), if your course includes them
- Compare how technique changes by age
- Rehearse with your course workbook open, since open resources are allowed
If a written exam is on your horizon, work scenario questions rather than memorizing lists, since the policy describes scenario-based items. Our study guide and one-page cheat sheet compress the must-know facts, and you can test yourself on the main practice test site. Details on scheduling live in Heartsaver CPR AED exam dates. For another angle on the same question this article answers, see what Heartsaver CPR AED stands for, what it means, and what a Heartsaver CPR AED is, plus the overview at Heartsaver CPR AED certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heartsaver is the American Heart Association's course family for lay responders, CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and AED is automated external defibrillator. Together the title names an AHA course teaching CPR and AED use.
The AHA issues a course-completion card documenting satisfactory performance, and it explicitly distinguishes this from certifying someone in CPR. Many employers accept the card as proof of training, but confirm their wording.
It is optional and used for employer or regulatory needs. If given, the policy requires at least 84%, allows reference materials, and sets no AHA-mandated time limit. The exact question count is not publicly verified.
No. Online study alone is insufficient. You must demonstrate hands-on skills, whether in a classroom, a blended skills session, a self-guided manikin station, or an instructor-observed virtual setup.
Two years through the end of the month of issue. Renewal options, requirements, and prices are arranged with your Training Center.
No. First aid belongs to the separate Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED course. The CPR AED path covers CPR, AED, choking relief, and the opioid, drowning, heart attack, and stroke topics, with child and infant parts optional.