How to Wear a Defibrillator

Wear a defibrillator rather than having one surgically implanted. Many patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest are not suitable candidates for surgery, and thus cannot be given an internal cardiac defibrillator. Others choose against cardiac surgery to have these devices implanted. The FDA approved an external defibrillator vest for use in 2002. These defibrillators are worn under the clothes with shock pads against the skin that are activated by a heart monitor whenever the heart rhythm becomes abnormal. Wear a defibrillator for convenient protection against life-threatening heart attacks.

Instructions

• 1

  Consult a cardiac specialist about the possible use of an external defibrillator vest. Your doctor will determine if a vest can provide the necessary protection for your condition. A doctor must also program the defibrillator to react to the specific needs of each patient's condition.

• 2

  Put on the vest when it's prescribed and wear it constantly except to bathe. Slip your arms through the shoulder straps and clip the buckle in front of the torso belt. Pull the monitor connector cord to the outside of your clothes as you dress. Put an additional belt around your waist outside your clothes to hold the monitor and plug in the monitor connector cord. The belt around the central torso contains heart sensors, shock pads, a gel pack and a connection cable for the heart monitor. The monitor weighs less than two pounds.

• 3

  Transmit data from the heart monitor to the attending cardiac specialist through a telephone modem. The heart monitor records valuable information on cardiac activity that helps your doctor assess future treatments. Plug the heart monitor to the modem that is attached to your phone as often as your physician requests. Information from the monitor will automatically load into the modem and a screen will indicate when it is sending and you can unplug.

• 4

  Replace parts for the defibrillator vest as needed. Your doctor and insurance provider will recommend replacing the battery, electrodes and cloth harness at intervals advised by the vest manufacturer.