Is an Implantable Defibrillator Right for You?

Illustration of An implantable defibrillator is a potentially lifesaving device for a patient at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Illustration © The StayWell Company. All Rights Reserved.

By knowing your hereditary risk factors, keeping track of previous heart attacks or sudden cardiac arrests and knowing if you have a weakened heart, you will be better able to talk with your physician about your eligibility for an implantable defibrillator.

At Manatee Memorial Hospital, board-certified electro-physiologist Jeffrey Rothfeld, MD, performs surgery to insert implantable defibrillators, potentially life-saving devices, into patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrests.

"Millions of people across the country may be eligible for implantable defibrillators, but they are not aware of why they are eligible and how the devices may benefit them," Dr. Rothfeld says.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest
An abrupt loss of heart function, sudden cardiac arrest, is caused by a rapid, chaotic disturbance of the heart's natural rhythm. It results from a malfunction in the heart's electrical system, the network of cells that create electrical impulses which cause the heart to beat. A disruption in these impulses may cause the heart to quiver chaotically, or fibrillate, making it unable to pump blood.

Although it may begin with dizziness or a rapid heartbeat, sudden cardiac arrest may strike with no warning at all, causing death within 10 minutes.

Treatment for sudden cardiac arrest includes defibrillation, shocking the heart back into a normal rhythm. In many cases, this is done with an automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable device that delivers electrical shocks through the chest wall.

Too often, however, an AED is not available or help does not arrive in time. That is why a cardiologist may recommend an implantable defibrillator when a patient has known risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest.

How an Implantable Defibrillator Works
Continuously monitoring the heart, an implantable defibrillator anticipates lethal changes in heart rhythm and uses electrical shocks to correct the rhythm, if necessary.

"Having an implantable defibrillator is like carrying around a rescue squad in your chest," Dr. Rothfeld says. "Years ago, we implanted defibrillators only in people who had survived previous sudden cardiac arrests. Today, we recommend them to people who have weakened heart muscles or heart disease or who have survived a previous heart attack. Our challenge is to identify people at risk and take steps to prevent arrests from happening," he says.

A Fast Surgery and Recovery
The defibrillator is surgically implanted under the collarbone. Once it is in place, the patient does not feel it. The surgery generally takes less than one hour and requires an overnight hospital stay. Defibrillator batteries are checked every three months; the batteries usually last four years, after which the device must be replaced.

Dr. Rothfeld recalls a recent patient who had no history of sudden cardiac arrest, but did have a weakened heart -- a condition detected after the patient experienced fainting spells.

"We implanted a defibrillator. Two days later, the patient had an abnormal heart rhythm that signaled that an arrest was imminent. Fortunately, the defibrillator was able to shock his heart back into a normal rhythm and he is fine."

For more information about implantable defibrillators, please call 941-745-7572.

Jeffrey Rothfeld, MD Co-Director, Cardiac Cath Lab at Manatee Memorial Hospital Bradenton Cardiology 316 Manatee Ave. West Bradenton, FL 34205 941-748-2277

206 Second Street East, Bradenton, FL 34208 941-746-5111 FAX: 941-745-6862