An Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, (AICD), is a small electronic device that is implanted into your chest to monitor and correct an abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. These devices are used to treat serious and life-threatening arrhythmias and are the most effective way of doing so.
Defibrillators treat arrhythmias in two ways: in the first instance the device tries to stop the abnormal rhythm with a burst of high speed pacing (cardioversion). If that fails, the device will deliver an electrical shock to the heart to reset its rhythm (defibrillation). Patients are usually not aware of cardioversion and nearly always aware of defibrillation. It is also capable of collecting and storing information about your heart’s electrical activity for your cardiologist to check.
Your cardiologist will program the defibrillator to deliver the best therapy for you.