Introduction
A pacemaker or an implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) helps protect you against dangerous heart
rhythms. It's important to know how these devices work and how to keep them
working right. Learning a few important facts about pacemakers and ICDs can
help you get the best results from your device.
Key points
- Avoid strong magnetic and electrical fields.
These can keep your device from working right.
- Most office
equipment and home appliances are safe to use. Learn which things you should
use with caution and which you should stay away from.
- Be sure that
any doctor, dentist, or other health professional you see knows that you have a
pacemaker or ICD.
- Always carry a card in your wallet that tells
what kind of device you have. Wear medical alert jewelry that says you have a
pacemaker or ICD.
- Have your pacemaker or ICD checked regularly to
make sure it is working right.
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References
Other Works Consulted
Akoum NW, et al. (2008). Pacemaker therapy. In EG Nabel, ed., ACP Medicine, section 1, chap. 7. Hamilton, ON: BC Decker.
Baddour LM, et al. (2010). Update on cardiovascular implantable electronic device infections and their management. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 121(3): 458–477.
Lee S, et al. (2009). Clinically significant magnetic interference of implanted cardiac devices by portable headphones. Heart Rhythm, 6(10): 1432–1436.
Sears SF, et al. (2005). How to respond to an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock. Circulation, 111(23): e380–e382.
Swerdlow CD, et al. (2012). Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. In RO Bonow et al., eds., Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 9th ed., vol. 1, pp. 745–770. Philadelphia: Saunders.