Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Systems
Tachycardia is a very fast heartbeat of more than 100 beats per minute. During ventricular tachycardia, the heart beats too rapidly to pump sufficient blood to the body. This condition is life-threatening and can lead to ventricular fibrillation, during which the ventricles can no longer contract. Ventricular fibrillation causes cardiac arrest within minutes – the heart unexpectedly stops beating – and is one of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD).
The only effective way to stop ventricular fibrillation is through defibrillation. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) delivers electrical impulses and shocks through leads to terminate tachycardias and fibrillation, allowing the heart to restart its activity in a normal rhythm.
