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The Heart of the Matter: Exploring a Veteran's Wish for Pacemaker Deactivation
Jordana L Meyerson1, Jeffrey M Kowaleski2,3, McKenzie R McClelland4
1Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics, Hospice, and Palliative Care, Veterans Affairs Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Abstract:
Individuals living with serious illness might request deactivation of a cardiac implantable electronic device for a variety of reasons. Discontinuation of implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers are considered to be ethically sound procedures. However, healthcare professional comfort with discontinuation of different types of devices might vary. In this case we describe a veteran's request for pacemaker deactivation and our interdisciplinary team's response to this request, including evaluation of total suffering, ethical considerations, and mood symptoms at end-of-life.
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