What is an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD)?
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) is a device that is implanted in the chest to monitor for and, if necessary, correct episodes of rapid heartbeat. The implantable cardioverter defibrillator gets its name from the two functions that it performs. First, the AICD sends small electrical charges to the heart to reset it when it goes too fast. This process of converting one rhythm or electrical pattern to another is called cardioversion. Second, the AICD will send stronger charges to reset the heart if it begins quivering instead of beating. The act of stopping this potentially fatal quivering of the heart (ventricular fibrillation) is called defibrillation. Although the main functions of the AICD are cardioversion and defibrillation, it can also be programmed to do the following: • Anti-tachycardia pacing. When an AICD senses a fast but rhythmic heartbeat (tachycardia), it releases a series of precisely timed low-intensity electrical pulses that gently interrupt the heart an
