Emergency Care of Patients with Pacemakers and Defibrillators

Devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are commonly inserted to treat unstable cardiac rhythm disturbances. Despite the benefits of these devices on mortality and morbidity rates, patients often present to the emergency department with complaints related to device insertion or malfunction. Emergency physicians must be able to rapidly identify potential life threats caused by pacemaker malfunction, ICD firing, and complications associated with implantation of the devices.