It is important for you to be aware that an ICD does not change the underlying condition that leads to implantation of it. Whether due to heart failure or genetic risk for sudden cardiac arrest, an ICD is implanted to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest.
Allow about eight weeks for your ICD to settle firmly in place. During this time, avoid sudden, jerky or violent actions that will cause your arm to pull away from your body. Avoid causing pressure over the area of your chest where your ICD was put in.
ICD batteries last 5 to 7 years. Your doctor uses a special analyzer to detect the first warning that the batteries are running down, before you can detect any changes yourself. Eventually your ICD or battery may need to be replaced in a surgical procedure.
After ICD implantation, you may feel anxious or depressed. This is not uncommon for ICD recipients, especially in the first months or year after implantation. Unfortunately, it is uncommon for patients to seek help for their anxiety and depression.
While using an ICD does not reverse heart disease or alter a gene, it does reduce your risk of cardiac arrest. You should also follow your doctor’s instructions for treating your underlying conditions.
The American Heart Association understands that living with an ICD can be scary, especially if you made the decision quickly due to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). You need to know that you are not alone or without support.
Security devices in public places may detect the metal in your ICD, although they won't damage it. Showing your card may save you some inconvenience. Consider also getting an I.D. bracelet or necklace for additional security and convenience.
Avoid activities that involve heavy lifting or rough contact that could result in blows to your implant site and to allow your incision time to heal.
Full recovery from an ICD or S-ICD procedure can take a few days to a few months. You can find some general recovery tips below, but be sure to talk to follow your doctor's post-operative instructions and talk to him or her about resuming normal activities based on your specific situation.
You will be given a temporary Medical Device ID Card when you receive your ICD or S-ICD and we’ll mail you a permanent card about six to eight weeks after your implant.
Your Medical Device ID Card contains your name, your doctor’s name and phone number, and the model numbers of your device and leads.
The study raises important questions about decisionmaking and the impact of having a life-sustaining device implanted inside the body. It suggests that there’s a need for further discussion between patients, families and caregivers about what it means to live with an ICD, and for further research to develop intervention strategies that could foster conversations about device deactivation as an ongoing option for ICD recipients.
It requires testing and reprogramming (called interrogation) at intervals ranging from every one to every six months. Components of the ICD, including the battery, must be surgically replaced, generally between four and seven years after implantation. Moreover, as with any medical device, ICDs can malfunction (a 2006 study found that 2 percent of implanted ICDs were removed due to malfunction between 1990 and 2002) or become subject to manufacturer’s recall, which may require replacement of the device.
An ICD is a lifesaving device for patients with ventricular arrhythmia – a condition in which the electrical impulses within the heart cause it to beat irregularly – who are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. The ICD is surgically implanted and programmed to recognize a life-threatening arrhythmia and deliver a shock that corrects the arrhythmia before it can stop the heart. Since 1985, when the FDA approved the first implantable defibrillator, the number of device placements in the US has soared to over half a million.
Cindy Wojtecki Wojtecki’s doctoral dissertation, subtitled “‘Just Living’ or ‘Living for a Shock,’” paints a portrait of the tension patients experience between trusting in the device and striving for normalcy. She and advisor Meg Wallhagen found several surprising things when they analyzed data from in-depth interviews conducted with 24 ICD recipients. Among them was that participants assigned responsibility for the decision to obtain and maintain the ICD to medical experts.
Moreover, as with any medical device, ICDs can malfunction (a 2006 study found that 2 percent of implanted ICDs were removed due to malfunction between 1990 and 2002) or become subject to manufacturer’s recall, which may require replacement of the device.
Living with an ICD can also have a significant effect on quality of life. One of Wojtecki’s key findings was that study participants described living on a continuum of well-being, with extremes at either end. Some, she said, reported “just living” with the ICD; life continued as it had before, and the ICD had little impact on most day-to-day ...
Says Wojtecki, “We think we know what we need to tell [patients], but after doing this research, I realized that I had no clue.”
It can take up to four weeks for the ICD leads inside your heart to become firmly embedded. To avoid dislodging the leads, follow the activity guidelines in the table below:
If your pain is not settling, call the Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic. You may need a stronger pain medication. Check the insertion site every day and call the Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic at 613-696-7076 if you have any of these problems: A lump that keeps getting bigger.
The Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic is an outpatient clinic designed to care for patients who have had a device implanted to correct or address arrhythmia problems. The clinic is staffed with cardiologists and registered nurses who specialize in the care of patients with pacemakers or internal cardiac defibrillators (ICD).
If you receive a single shock and feel fine, there is no need to go to an emergency room. Call the Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic at 613-696-7076 on the next working day. They will arrange for you to come to clinic.
You may take a bath but keep the insertion site completely dry. Remove the initial bandage two days after your procedure. Leave the area open. Do not wash or put any creams or ointments on it. If you are more comfortable with the area covered, apply a small, dry gauze dressing with one piece of tape to keep it secure.
Avoid moving your shoulder on the side of the insertion. You can bend your elbow. First 2 weeks. Do not lift your affected arm over your head. After the first 24 hours, you can move your arm freely below your shoulder. First 4 weeks. Do not lift anything heavier than 10 lbs. (5 kg).
Before you are discharged from the Day Unit, your doctor and nurse will go over the procedure with you. The nurse will tell you how to take care of your insertion site. Also, they will discuss any changes in your medications. This will also be a good time to talk about returning to work and when you can drive. ...
After your procedure, you will be taken from the operating room to a patient care unit. The nurses on this unit are experienced in caring for patients who have undergone an ICD implant. Your nurse will frequently check your heart rate, blood pressure, and incision. Before you return home, your doctor and nurse will provide you with detailed information about your ICD and discharge instructions.
Some people are in danger of developing a dangerously fast or irregular heart rhythm that can lead to death within minutes. An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, or ICD, is a device that can detect abnormal heart rhythms and then shock your heart back to its regular rhythm. ICDs have saved many people from Sudden Cardiac Death.
You should have been given a temporary ID card with information about your ICD on it. You will get a permanent one in 4 to 6 weeks. Carry this card with you. You can show this card if your ICD sets off a metal detector. You should also show it to avoid screening with a hand-held security wand.
You had a procedure to insert an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Once inside your body, an ICD monitors your heart rhythm (the speed and pattern of your heartbeat). If this rhythm becomes too fast or too slow, the ICD sends out electrical signals. These help bring the rhythm back to normal. As you recover, follow the instructions ...
It is recommended that you avoid driving for 6 months after a defibrillator is implanted or if the device fires. The life threatening heart rhythms these devices treat can cause you to lose consciousness, which would be very dangerous if you are driving. Limit your activity as instructed.
Before you receive any treatment, tell all healthcare providers ( including your dentist) that you have an ICD.
Your ICD may have a remote monitoring system that can transmit information over the phone or internet to your doctor. If you are not able to have your device monitored remotely, you will have periodic checkups in your cardiologist's office to check the function and battery life of your ICD.