What Is a Cardiovascular Defibrillator?

Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) are small, electronic medical devices that get implanted inside the chest cavity. People who have certain heart conditions, such as abnormally fast heart rhythms, rely on ICDs to stay alive.

Function

• Implantable cardiac defibrillators monitor the heart rate to detect oncoming heart attacks. When the heart beats at a normal pace, the defibrillator is inactive. However, when a hastened heartbeat is detected, the ICD shocks the heart with an electrical charge to stop a heart attack and reset the heart to a normal rhythm.

Features

• According to Medline Plus, ICDs are about the size of a cookie. The pules generator is where the battery and electrical circuits are located. The generator is connected to the heart through electrodes, which are electrical wires that are attached into the veins that run to the heart.

Significance

• ICDs are imperative for patients who have had heart attacks in the past, or have a high chance of having a heart attack due to a cardiovascular condition. Defibrillators save lives, because patients have the chance to prevent a heart attack before it starts.