What is a cardioverter?
Less invasive defibrillator implantation
According to the American Heart Association the implantable cardioverter defibrillator “is used to prevent sudden death in patients who have known sustained ventricular tachycardia or defibrillation.” Over the past couple of years, implantable cardioverters have undergone a lot of improvements, and can now better monitor heart rhythms and even record heart rhythm information for analysis by cardiologists. These devices, though implatable, are far less invasive than other methods thanks to the installation via blood vessels instead of using open chest surgery to be put into the heart, or adjacent to it. Newer cardioverters actually are close to the heart but not attached to it, which prevents damage to the heart and the device’s wires, which is important when you consider that your heart may beat several million times over the life of the device.
Notes and Special Information
Special note: Nothing on this site should be considered medical advice. Always consult with a cardiologist.