Treats fast heart beats

Reduce risks of sudden cardiac death

Multiple company options

Biotronik, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, or Abbott

What is an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)

An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) — a pager-sized device — is placed in your chest to reduce your risk of dying if the lower chambers of your heart (ventricles) go into a dangerous rhythm and stop beating effectively (cardiac arrest).

You might need an ICD if you have a dangerously fast heartbeat (ventricular tachycardia) or a chaotic heartbeat that keeps your heart from supplying enough blood to the rest of your body (ventricular fibrillation).

ICDs detect and stop abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias). The device continuously monitors your heartbeat and delivers electrical pulses to restore a normal heart rhythm when necessary.

An ICD differs from a pacemaker — another implantable device used to help control abnormal heart rhythms.

What is the difference between an ICD and a CRT device

Function:

• CRT Device: A Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) device is used primarily to treat heart failure with dyssynchrony, a condition where the heart's chambers do not contract in a coordinated manner. The CRT device helps synchronize the contractions of the heart's ventricles (lower chambers) to improve overall pumping efficiency.
• ICD Device: An Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) device is designed to monitor the heart's rhythm and deliver a shock if it detects life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. These arrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Components:

• CRT Device: A CRT device typically includes two pacing leads placed in the right atrium and right ventricle, as well as an additional lead placed in the coronary sinus vein on the left side of the heart. This third lead helps synchronize the contractions of the left and right ventricles.
• ICD Device: An ICD device includes pacing leads similar to a CRT device, but it also has the capability to deliver high-energy shocks to restore a normal heart rhythm if a dangerous arrhythmia is detected.

Indications:

• CRT Device: CRT devices are mainly used for patients with heart failure who also have evidence of ventricular dyssynchrony, as indicated by a prolonged QRS duration on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
• ICD Device: ICD devices are typically recommended for patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death due to known or suspected ventricular arrhythmias.

Benefits:

• CRT Device: CRT can improve symptoms of heart failure, increase exercise tolerance, and reduce hospitalizations by improving the heart's pumping efficiency.
• ICD Device: ICDs can deliver life-saving shocks to terminate dangerous arrhythmias and prevent sudden cardiac death.

Combination Devices:

• Some devices, known as CRT-D devices, combine both CRT and ICD functions. These devices provide resynchronization therapy for heart failure and also have the capability to deliver defibrillation shocks when needed.

In summary, CRT devices focus on synchronizing the heart's contractions to improve heart failure symptoms, while ICD devices are primarily aimed at preventing sudden cardiac death by detecting and treating life-threatening arrhythmias. In some cases, both CRT and ICD functions are combined into a single device (CRT-D) to address multiple aspects of heart health.