An ICD Barks!

Wife's HS reunion coming up and she's been communicating via text/e-mail with HS friends recently.. One of her best HS friends hubby has a PM with an ICD enabled.  Few days ago, wife's friend says she and her hubby were walking, and he just dropped to the ground. They were in a neighborhood setting, and locals called EMS - who arrived within minutes. The husband was  alive and was transported to a local ER and hospitalized for a couple days.  Later, it was found the ICD had fired due to a sudden cardiac arrest event. The man said he really felt nothing from his heart stopping but, "I felt that ICD jolt! It was like taking a .30/06 round in the chest! - That's when I dropped!"


4 Comments

Yup, that's what it's like, what's the question?

by BOBTHOM - 2018-09-01 22:09:15

Yes, that's what the ICD is there for.  When the heart stops or goes into an eratic beat it will first try to pace your heart to normal otherwise it will zap you.  Yes, it feels like a mule kicked you in the chest (though apparently some folks claim to not feel anything).  So what is your question?

ICD Bark

by DAVID H - 2018-09-01 23:39:21

My concern would be what Robin stated - injuries from a fall or, if it happened while driving where an accident could be deadly.  No way around this issue?  My VIVA XT CRT-D was installed in Jan 2015 - I don't suppose it's one of the "You'll hardly feel a thing model."

ICD Bark

by DAVID H - 2018-09-02 12:39:06

Maybe the ICDers want to know what to expect.

ICD Bark

by trek2300 - 2018-09-14 11:16:36

Yep - that's what it feels like - I have an Evera XT - mine went off while I was on a treadmill - I subsequently got a ventricular ablation and no discharges since then - I bicycle commute and pedal hard (HR max = 155) and it has not fired off since the ablation - the reason I got the ICD was I had an episode of VT while cycling with my son - emergently shocked in the field w/o anytime for relaxant meds - the jolt from that was the same as the ICD jolt.  My understanding is some states require your name to be given to their Motor Vehicle Division and you are forbidden to drive for a set period of time.  If you have a CDL, you are forbidden to do any working involving your CDL.  I can see why - you black out for a quick second or two - I went down like a sack of potatoes.  Imagine if I was driving a bus loaded with people. 

You know you're wired when...

You have a dymo-powered bike.

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