Low voltage ICD - Does anyone know if they are medically approved / available currently?

[Joyride]

I've read much about them in medical reports dating back many years but can't find out if they are medically approved and if so if they are available in the UK, elsewhere, private, NHS. Does anyone know more than I do?

[Lezzers]

Can I ask what a low voltage icd is? My husband has an ICD

[Joyride in reply to Lezzers]

See above or link below for the original article.

source.wustl.edu/2012/11/le...

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

An ICD has two parts - low voltage for pacing and high voltage to "reset" the heart in the case of an event such as a sky rocket pulse or cardic arrest.

They have a microcomputer inside and as technology had improved the high voltage has come down making a shock somewhat less unpleasant!

[Lezzers in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks Michael, I knew ICD's can pace as well as shock, I just assumed they were all low voltage.

[Alison_L in reply to Lezzers]

I'd be very upset if mine paced (which it does most days) at a high voltage - especially as it's normally when I'm dropping off to sleep!!

[Lezzers in reply to Alison_L]

That would certainly be a nightmare!!☺

[Joyride]

So there was an article published back in 2012 where scientists discovered that a series of closely-timed low-voltage shocks actually worked better than the one off 600 - 900 volt shock you get to correct extreme tachycardia. Not only did the shocks’ initial application not depend so much on exact timing, but the peak shock voltage could be reduced to just 20 volts. Even when the total energy of all the shocks was added together, the sum was still a fraction of what would be delivered by a conventional ICD.

I tried to follow this by looking up the scientists. It seemed to be going well with canine experiments funded but then the data goes cold from about 2015 and I wonder whether this was shelved or available.

[Lezzers]

Thank you for the link, I've not heard anything the low voltage but will a add k about it at the next cardiologist appt. Fortunately my husband has not been shocked by his ICD but I do know of people who have and for some the trauma is worse than the fear.