How Does a Cardioverter Defibrillator Work?
An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator or ICD for short may sound like just another acronym, but this one might just save your life and help you lead a normal near healthy one too. Your doctor may suggest the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator to you if you have had issues such as cardiac arrest, brugada syndrome, congenital heart disease, long QT syndrome or if you’ve had a heart attack. It’s a really good idea to brush up on what the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is, how it works, if it’s right for you and some of the regulation of medical devices in the US for the ICD.
What Is an ICD?
Ultimately this little device helps monitor your heart rhythm. Seems easy enough right? Well, it also helps detect slower than normal rhythms, faster than normal as well as abnormal heart beats such as murmurs. When the device detects an issue such as one of the three mentioned, it jolts the heart muscle with energy to get it to beat normal once again. You might think that slowing or skipping of your heart is not a huge deal, but if this is something you have not seen a doctor for just yet, it could be something more serious than a fluttering feeling in your chest. One of the biggest reasons people get an ICD is for Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These two heart issues create rhythms that are very fast, but these two issues are also life threatening - which means they can be fatal if they are not treated with something like ICD.
Who Needs ICD?
Chances are if your doctor recommends you get ICD it’s because; you had an episode of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), you had an episode of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, you have increased risk or had a prior heart attack or have risks for SCA or SCD, your doctor also might suggest this device if you have cardiomyopathy or you are hypertrophic. If your doctor suggests this device, it’s definitely something you want to take seriously, do your research, ask questions and find out pro’s vs. con’s of the device.
How Does ICD Work?
Since the ICD is a device that monitors and identifies any rhythm issues with your heart, the device does take care of different types of irregular heart beat with a variety of issues - all working in different ways. But, depending on your specific issue your doctor will program the device accordingly. Here are a few examples of the programs that this device can take care of / and offers:
- ATP: With ATP your heart tends to run too fast, in this case the ICD device will deliver a small series of electrical impulses to the heart which helps restore its normal rate.
- Cardioversion: In the case of cardioversion, the ICD delivers a low energy "shock" which is delivered the same time as your heart beat to restore a normal rate.
- Defib: In the case of defib, your heart is beating way too fast, which can create a heart attack, or worse. The ICD works by delivering a high energy shock to the heart until the beat is at a normal rate.
- Bradycardia pacing: While with defib your heart beats too fast, with Bradycardia pacing it beats too slow so the ICD device will stimulate your heart by delivering a few small electric impulses until it is at a normal rate.
What Other Machines Will Be Present?
When it comes time for the implant, you will need surgery. In the room you might see a lot of different machines, unless you are already "out" and have been put under anesthesia. Either way, you might be curious about some of the other machines that are going to be in the room with you, and though this is a pretty lengthy list, they are all necessary to make sure everything goes right during the procedure. The following will be present:
- Blood Pressure Monitor: This is used to check your blood pressure through ought the procedure. It’s painless.
- Oximeter Monitor: This is a monitor that is clipped to your finger, it checks the H20 levels in your blood.
- EKG: These little sticky pads are attached to electrodes and then placed on your chest, they help provide status of your heart and the impulses traveling to your heart.
- X-ray machine: This will be placed above you and helps to see the leads during the procedure of the implant.
- Defibrillator or pacemaker or cardioverter: One of these will be attached to a patch that is placed on both your back and chest right in your center mass. This is useful because if your heart beat speeds up it allows them to slow it down and if it slows down it allows them to speed it up.
What Is an ICD?
Ultimately this little device helps monitor your heart rhythm. Seems easy enough right? Well, it also helps detect slower than normal rhythms, faster than normal as well as abnormal heart beats such as murmurs. When the device detects an issue such as one of the three mentioned, it jolts the heart muscle with energy to get it to beat normal once again. You might think that slowing or skipping of your heart is not a huge deal, but if this is something you have not seen a doctor for just yet, it could be something more serious than a fluttering feeling in your chest. One of the biggest reasons people get an ICD is for Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These two heart issues create rhythms that are very fast, but these two issues are also life threatening - which means they can be fatal if they are not treated with something like ICD.
Who Needs ICD?
Chances are if your doctor recommends you get ICD it’s because; you had an episode of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), you had an episode of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, you have increased risk or had a prior heart attack or have risks for SCA or SCD, your doctor also might suggest this device if you have cardiomyopathy or you are hypertrophic. If your doctor suggests this device, it’s definitely something you want to take seriously, do your research, ask questions and find out pro’s vs. con’s of the device.
How Does ICD Work?
Since the ICD is a device that monitors and identifies any rhythm issues with your heart, the device does take care of different types of irregular heart beat with a variety of issues - all working in different ways. But, depending on your specific issue your doctor will program the device accordingly. Here are a few examples of the programs that this device can take care of / and offers:
- ATP: With ATP your heart tends to run too fast, in this case the ICD device will deliver a small series of electrical impulses to the heart which helps restore its normal rate.
- Cardioversion: In the case of cardioversion, the ICD delivers a low energy "shock" which is delivered the same time as your heart beat to restore a normal rate.
- Defib: In the case of defib, your heart is beating way too fast, which can create a heart attack, or worse. The ICD works by delivering a high energy shock to the heart until the beat is at a normal rate.
- Bradycardia pacing: While with defib your heart beats too fast, with Bradycardia pacing it beats too slow so the ICD device will stimulate your heart by delivering a few small electric impulses until it is at a normal rate.
What Other Machines Will Be Present?
When it comes time for the implant, you will need surgery. In the room you might see a lot of different machines, unless you are already "out" and have been put under anesthesia. Either way, you might be curious about some of the other machines that are going to be in the room with you, and though this is a pretty lengthy list, they are all necessary to make sure everything goes right during the procedure. The following will be present:
- Blood Pressure Monitor: This is used to check your blood pressure through ought the procedure. It’s painless.
- Oximeter Monitor: This is a monitor that is clipped to your finger, it checks the H20 levels in your blood.
- EKG: These little sticky pads are attached to electrodes and then placed on your chest, they help provide status of your heart and the impulses traveling to your heart.
- X-ray machine: This will be placed above you and helps to see the leads during the procedure of the implant.
- Defibrillator or pacemaker or cardioverter: One of these will be attached to a patch that is placed on both your back and chest right in your center mass. This is useful because if your heart beat speeds up it allows them to slow it down and if it slows down it allows them to speed it up.