AUTOMATIC INTERNAL CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR

Course overview

THE AUTOMATED INTERNAL CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR OR SHOCK BOX IS THE COMMON NAME GIVEN TO THE IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATOR (ICD). ICD IS A STATE OF THE ART DEVICE THAT TREATS ARRHYTHMIAS SPECIFICALLY THOSE OF VENTRICULAR ORIGIN LIKE VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA AND FIBRILLATION. IT HAS BECOME THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN PATIENTS WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH (SCD) AND HAS SHOWN CONSISTENT SURVIVAL BENEFIT IN CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVORS (SCA), IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND SEVERE SYSTOLIC DYSFUNCTION (LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION-LVEF LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 35%) AS WELL AS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY (HCM). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS FOR AN AICD AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIAS.