Why are Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) used?
The ventricles of heart, pump blood containing oxygen to other organs. In patients of heart diseases like ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, the heart beats are irregular and the heart is unable to pump blood to other organs of the body. Vital organs, like the brain may stop working due to the inadequate supply of blood. It is necessary to bring back the normal heart rhythm within few minutes, else the situation leads to an heart attack and may even be a cause of death. Defibrillation is a technique, in which electric signals are given in order to restart the normal heart beats. Every minute that goes untreated after an heart attack, decreases the chances of survival by 10%. Thus, it is necessary that defibrillation be done soon after an heart attack. If a patient is already hospitalized, defibrillation can be given without delay. However, if a person gets an heart attack outside an hospital, timely defibrillation may not be possible. Automated External Defibrillator
