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Treatment with an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) is today a well-established therapy for patients who survived ventricular fibrillation, or with known ventricular arrhythmias. It is also indicated for patients with a high risk of developing such arrhythmias. The use of these devices is constantly increasing, resulting in more and more patients with an implanted ICD who need hospital care in the form of implantation, follow-ups, and programming to individually adjust parameters for the type of arrhythmia, ventricular function, patient’s level of activity, etc. This programming can be complicated, and incorrect programming of the device may have serious consequences. Thorough understanding of programmable parameters is required to provide optimal therapy. In this book you can read about:
- The different parameters and how to program them
- Defibrillation theory
- Different types of ICD leads
- ICD system technology
- Implant test procedures
- Troubleshooting
It is my wish and hope that for those of you who are in contact with these patients on a daily basis, this book can provide you with a better understanding of ICD functions and specifically how they can be programmed. Since the correct programming of the device may very well be the most important aspect of successful treatment, this book is intended to be a tool for both the beginner and the more experienced caregiver alike, to be read from the beginning to the end, or to be used as a reference when questions arise.