Devices and Athletics: Decision-Making Around Return to Play

Until recently, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) were considered a contraindication to competitive athletics. Recent prospective observational registry data in athletes with ICDs who participated in sports against the societal recommendations at the time have demonstrated the safety of sports participation. While athletes did receive both appropriate and inappropriate shocks, these were not more frequent during sports participation than other activity, and there were no sports-related deaths or need for external resuscitation in the 440 athlete cohort (median followup 44 months). Optimization of medical therapies, device settings and having an emergency action plan allow many athletes to safely continue athletic activity.