A new type of ICD.

[seasider18]

healthwatcheastsussex.co.uk...

This was featured on South East News last week. I don't understand how it can differentiate between dangerous and harmless heart rhythms to prevent a stroke or if the patient still needs to be on Warfarin.

[Hidden]

There is an article about one mans experience of having an ICD fitted in the November/December edition of the BHF magazine HeartMatters.

It seems to act like an implanted defribulator and is supposed to sence when a shock is required in order to send the heart back into sinus rythm. Sadly this shock was sufficient to throw the poor fellow off his bike and into the weeds.

He eventually had it removed because "The ICD was having more of an impact on my life than the actual heart condition".

[seasider18 in reply to Hidden]

Someone either here or another Forum I read complained that she has felt electric shocks six times when her one has kicked in since it has been fitted.

[BobD Volunteer]

Internal or implantable cardiac defibrillators or ICDs are to stop ventricular fibrillation rather than atrial rather like the paramedics might except that you have it implanted all the time. It has no affect on AF and yes of course anticoagulation will still be required.

I have met a few people with ICDs and they do seem rather scared that it can go off. I also remember a helicopter heroes type program where they had to winch a yachtsman off his vessel in mid ocean because it had developed a fault and was shocking him every two minutes. Scary for the winchman I would think.

[PeterWh in reply to BobD]

A fellow (I think in his mid 20s) just up the road from me has one. Thee first time he was walking on a footpath along an old railway line when it went off. The second at home. The first time was a very big shock especially as he was on his own. However he was so grateful that it had been fitted because if not both times he would have died. Also grateful for the air ambulance.

[seasider18 in reply to PeterWh]

Presumably it happens so suddenly that he is caught unawares.

[PeterWh in reply to seasider18]

Yes