Implanted Defibrillator Restrictions

Although there are a number of benefits associated with implanted defibrillators, there are also some restrictions that go along with them. If you are an individual who uses an implanted cardioverter defibrillator or knows someone who does, you may be interested in knowing that the limitations that go along with them. This article details some of the restrictions that anyone with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator should keep in mind throughout their everyday lives. By knowing what you can and cannot do, as well as the differences between a pacemaker and a defibrillator, you can ensure that you live a healthier and safer life, free from the risks that come with a malfunctioning ICD. So, if you are interested in knowing some of the restrictions associated with having an ICD, then continue reading.

What Are Defibrillators?

Defibrillation is a technique that is used to treat a variety of life-threatening conditions affecting the heart rhythm. The following are some of the conditions that an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) can help with:

• Ventricular fibrillation 
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Ventricular tachycardia without a pulse

The treatment involves delivering an electric shock to the heart, which induces depolarization of the heart muscles as well as the restoration of normal conduction linked to the heart’s electrical impulse. A defibrillator is a system that is used to administer the electric shock to the heart.

There are different variations of defibrillators such as external defibrillators, implanted defibrillators, and transvenous defibrillators.

Early forms of defibrillation used paddle-style electrodes to transmit a charge to the heart that ranged from 300 to 1,000 volts. These units were successful, but they had a significant disadvantage when used during open-heart surgery. These defibrillators were also very large and bulky, making them difficult to transport, and post-mortem examinations showed that the method of use probably caused further damage to the heart muscles. The technique also failed to reverse ventricular fibrillation, effectively undermining its intent.

Following that, using paddle electrodes, a method of transmitting the charge was created that used resistance to produce a weaker sinusoidal wave that would last for five milliseconds. The best time to administer the shocks was also improved so that the procedure could be used to treat other arrhythmias including atrial flutters, atrial fibrillation, and a single form of tachycardia.

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was created as a result of further defibrillator development. As a result of its implantation, this device can be used to treat a variety of heart problems. Patients who use this device do not need to visit a medical center since the device is implanted inside them.

Why You May Be in Need of an ICD

If you have suffered sudden cardiac arrest as a result of ventricular fibrillation, have fainted due to ventricular arrhythmia, or have some hereditary heart disorders, you may need an ICD.

Anyone who is at high risk of cardiac arrest due to ventricular arrhythmia should get an ICD. People who have heart failure or problems with their heart’s contraction, such as left ventricular ejection fraction, need an ICD. Other conditions may necessitate the implantation of an ICD, and you should talk with your doctor about them so that they can better evaluate your heart rhythms and determine whether or not you need one.

The Risks Associated With an ICD

There are many risks associated with an ICD, and it is important that every patient weighs these risks before proceeding with the procedure. If your heart attack isn’t life-threatening, you should also look at other treatment options. This is due to the major risks associated with the implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. The following are some of the risks associated with ICD implantation:

• Bleeding from the incision or catheter insertion site
• A weakened lung
• Tearing of the core muscles
• Leads become dislodged, necessitating a different method to reposition them.
• Damage to blood vessels at the insertion site of the catheter

These are some of the complications that are commonly associated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. If you’re thinking about getting this operation completed, there are a couple of other things to think about. You can contact your healthcare provider whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding. To ensure your protection in the operation, let them know if you are allergic to any drugs or latex. Other risks associated with the procedure can occur, depending on your medical condition. To ensure your wellbeing at all times, you must address all medical issues with your healthcare provider.

Can You Drive with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)?

One of the most common questions that are related to having an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is whether or not you can drive once you have the device implanted. When you get an ICD, you should not drive at all for a short time after getting the implant. This is recommended by doctors in order to minimize the risk of any complications arising. Depending on the reason as to why you get an ICD, you may not be able to drive for a few months after receiving the implant. Should this be the case, you should consult your doctor in order to determine when you can safely drive again.

Your doctor might issue you some of the following guidelines after you receive your ICD implant:

• Should you get the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) due to the fact that you are at risk because of life-threatening arrhythmia, even though you have never experienced one, you most likely only have to wait for a few days before driving once again. This gives your body sufficient time to properly heal. After you have taken the time to heal, so long as you have never had your implanted cardioverter defibrillator give you a shock and you have no symptoms of having an arrhythmia, you can drive safely. It is important that you keep in mind that you are still at risk of losing consciousness while driving.
• If you receive an ICD implant because you have already experienced a life-threatening arrhythmia, it is possible that you have to wait for at least six months before you are allowed to safely drive again. 
• Should you have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator that has given you a shock for arrhythmia recently, you may be required to wait for six months before you can drive again.

Is it Okay to Drive with a Pacemaker?

If you have a pacemaker and do not have any symptoms such as fainting, then you can drive. However, right after you get a pacemaker, you may find that your doctor asks you not to drive for at least a week after you have had the device implanted. Doing so gives your body the time it needs to heal properly and ensure that you are at minimal risk of having any complications. It is important that you adhere to these precautions to ensure your own safety, as well as the safety of others.

Can ICD Patients Work with a Defibrillator?

There is a common misconception that anyone who has an ICD implanted in their chest cannot work anymore. As you can imagine, this information is false. Once you have had the device implanted and have taken the necessary time and precautions to heal properly you can go about doing the same activities that every else around a similar age is using. It is important to note that your activity is limited while the incision is healing. The limits that are imposed by the incision generally only last for about two to three weeks, depending on the instructions issued by your doctor. Should you have either a pacemaker or an ICD, you can still participate in the following activities:

• Return to work
• Work in your house or yard
• Take showers and baths
• Participate in both sporting and recreational activities
• Exercise pending on advice from your doctor
• Drive your car once you have been cleared by your doctor. The heart rhythms that can cause problems can sometimes result in the loss of consciousness.
• Continue having intimate relationships.

Any individual with an ICD or pacemaker can still take part in physical or recreational activities such as sport. However, it is important that any individual with one of these devices does not receive a blow to their chest near the area of the implant. Should you take a blow or experience any contact to this area, it is crucial that you see your doctor immediately, as this can affect the way in which the ICD functions.

If you notice that you feel any symptoms of illness or pain after engaging in any physical activity, you should take no delay in seeing your doctor. Failure to do so could lead to more severe issues that could result in you waking up in a hospital. One should never be too careful when it comes to these issues as they can result in some seriously frightening medical complications.

Can You Drink Alcohol with a Defibrillator?

When it comes to the topic of alcohol, things become a bit tricky. This is due to the fact that alcohol has been known to cause a variety of health issues in even healthy people. Individuals who consume too much alcohol, or who are extra sensitive to the effects of alcohol have been known to experience heart rhythm problems. This can cause problems for anyone who does not have an underlying heart condition, let alone for someone who has the need for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Consuming alcohol can trigger atrial fibrillation in an individual’s heart. Subsequently, this can cause an ICD to deliver a shock to their heart when it normally would not do so.

One should keep in mind that everyone has a different heart, and some hearts are not affected by alcohol in the same way as others. Where some people are extremely sensitive to alcohol, and even a little can disturb the rhythm of the heart, others are not affected as much.

For this reason, it is crucial that you consult your doctor before attempting to drink any alcohol. The general consensus for an individual who has an ICD is that they can drink alcohol so long as it is in moderation. When saying that they should drink in moderation, this refers to the fact that they should have no more than two drinks in a single day for a man, and no more than a single drink a day for a woman. However, should you find that even drinking in moderation, or drinking at all still causes your ICD to deliver inappropriate shocks, then you may want to consider drinking even less, or abstaining from the consumption of alcohol altogether.

How Long Does a Defibrillator Last?

A defibrillator battery has an average lifetime of six to eight years. This varies depending on how much energy it takes to speed the heart on a daily basis, as well as whether the system needs to shock the patient’s heart. Every device has a battery life monitor that can warn the patient when the battery life is down to about three months. Patients should schedule an appointment with their doctor to have the batteries replaced as a result of this. A defibrillator battery change is an outpatient procedure that takes about an hour to complete. When your doctor removes your batteries, they can usually do so in the following order:

• They can disconnect the wires from the device
• Change the battery and generator
• After this, they can reconnect the wires and put the generator back in place

It is important that an individual is always extra careful when it comes to their ICD. You never want to be caught in a situation where the battery of your ICD has become flat. This puts you at the risk of not getting the electrical shock that you need when you need it most. Having a flat ICD means that should your heart have an issue that requires the intervention of the ICD, the device can no longer interfere, and you may have a serious problem on your hands. You could land up in a hospital where you require treatment and medication in order to assist you with the recovery. For this reason, it is recommended that you have the battery changed as soon as the monitor alerts you of the low power levels.

What Precautions Should You Take if You Have an ICD?

If you have an ICD, then you should always take the following considerations. You should also discuss all of the following with your doctor in order to ensure that you are living in the safest way possible. Some of the precautions that you should take are:

Going through an airport or other security detectors is usually secure. They won’t damage the pacemaker or ICD in any way. However, inform airport screening that you have a pacemaker before passing through. The alarm could be activated by the unit. Also, kindly warn security not to keep the hand-held metal-detecting wand over the pacemaker for an extended period of time if you are chosen for a more thorough search (more than a second or two). This is because the magnet inside the wand can cause your device’s operating mode to change temporarily. Do not lean against or remain in close proximity to the machine for longer than is necessary.

Avoid devices that use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or other large magnetic fields. These factors can have an effect on the pacemaker’s programming or work. Additionally, the rapidly changing magnetic field inside the MRI scanner can cause the pacemaker leads to heat up. There are typically other choices for people with pacemakers than an MRI scan, but if your doctor decides that you need one, speak to your cardiologist first. If, he or she, and you consent to proceed, you should be closely supervised by a cardiologist during the MRI scan, with a pacemaker programming system readily available. Newer pacemaker and ICD technology can be a safe MRI alternative if adequate monitoring and safety measures are taken.

When operating on big engines, such as cars or boats, switch them off. The magnetic fields created by these large motors can temporarily “confuse” your system.

Avoid radio or television transmitters, arc welders, high-tension cables, radar installations, and smelting furnaces, as well as other high-voltage or radar machines.

When in close proximity to your computer, MP3 player headphones can contain a magnetic substance that could interfere with its operation. Maintain a distance of at least 1.2 inches (3 cm) between the headphones and the computer. They can be worn in the ears correctly without presenting this danger. Do not wear your headphones around your neck, place them in your breast pocket, or allow someone else to press against your computer when wearing headphones.

If you’re getting a surgical operation performed by a surgeon or dentist, let them know you have a pacemaker or an ICD. Some procedures necessitate temporarily turning off or setting your ICD to a special mode. Your cardiologist will make this decision. Temporarily adjusting the mode on your pacemaker can be performed noninvasively (no additional surgery is required), but only trained medical practitioners can do so.

Without proper planning, shock wave lithotripsy, which is used to remove kidney stones, can cause your system to malfunction. Before scheduling this procedure, make sure your doctor is aware of your pacemaker or ICD.

The circuits in your device may be affected by therapeutic radiation, such as that used in cancer treatments. Increased radiation doses increase the risk. Precautions should be taken as appropriate. Before beginning radiation treatments, inform your doctor whether you have a pacemaker or an ICD.

The use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to treat certain types of pain can cause your ICD’s pacemaker to malfunction. If you’re thinking about trying this treatment, let your doctor know.

Always have a pacemaker or ICD identification card on you. If you have a device, it is recommended that you wear a medical warning bracelet or necklace.

By always keeping these precautions in mind, you ensure that you are at a minimal risk of experiencing any medical complications while having an ICD implanted. Failure to adhere to these precautions could result in some pretty serious consequences that you would much rather avoid than have to deal with.

How You Can Ensure That Your Device is Always Working Properly

Despite the fact that your device is designed to last 5 to 7 years, you should have it tested on a regular basis to ensure that it is in good working order. Testing devices can be done on various schedules by different physicians. Many of these can be tested in the home using a remote monitoring device that connects to the internet or a phone line. The requisite equipment is provided by the system manufacturer. Your doctor will also advise you to provide in-person system tests at regular intervals. All modifications to the system’s settings must be done in person by a qualified medical professional using a device programmer.

A system interrogation is used to check the battery life, lead wire condition, and various functions. Using a special wand put on the skin over the pacemaker or ICD, the unit is noninvasively attached to a device programmer during an interrogation. The data is sent from the computer to the programmer, where it is processed. Wireless technology is used in most in-home device interrogation systems to link the device to special equipment that records the data and sends it to your doctor.

Your doctor can ask you to monitor your pulse rate on a regular basis. Notify your healthcare provider right away if you experience any troubling symptoms or symptoms that are close to those you had before the system was implanted.

If you need more details, always consult your doctor.

The Bottom Line

After reading through all the information provided, you should have a much better sense of what you can and cannot do while having an ICD. By being aware of the potential risks and threats that you face, you can ensure that you live your life in the safest possible manner. It is imperative that you take all these precautions very seriously.