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A New Single Chamber Implantable Defibrillator with Atrial Sensing: A Practical Demonstration of Sensing and Ease of Implantation
16:40

A New Single Chamber Implantable Defibrillator with Atrial Sensing: A Practical Demonstration of Sensing and Ease of Implantation

Published on: February 28, 2012

Outcomes, problems and quality of life with the implantable cardioverter defibrillator

S S Reid1, S McKinley, S Nagy

  • 1Cooperative Research Centre for Cardiac Technology, Sydney, Australia.

The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing : a Quarterly Publication of the Royal Australian Nursing Federation
|December 22, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Most implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients report good quality of life (QOL), though it decreases after experiencing defibrillator shocks. Patients desire more education and support during ICD insertion, which nurses could provide.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Devices
  • Patient Outcomes

Background:

  • The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a critical device for managing life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
  • Assessing patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life (QOL), is essential for understanding the real-world impact of ICD therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) and identify challenges faced by recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).
  • To understand patient satisfaction and information needs regarding ICDs.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was conducted among implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients.
  • Data collected included quality of life scores, experiences with defibrillator shocks, resumption of daily activities, and information sources.

Main Results:

  • The average QOL score was 6.4 out of 10, significantly lower for patients who received shocks (p < 0.05).
  • 54% of patients reported experiencing at least one shock.
  • 72% resumed usual daily activities, and 76% resumed driving; 96% would recommend the ICD to others.

Conclusions:

  • Most ICD recipients experience a good quality of life (QOL), but this is negatively impacted by defibrillator shocks.
  • While patients generally gain understanding of living with an ICD, there is a significant need for enhanced education and support at the time of device implantation.
  • Nurses are identified as a key resource to provide this needed education and support to ICD recipients.

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