An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a quiet companion most of the time — but knowing how it behaves makes living with it far easier. This page is a quick orientation. For the complete, printable guide, see Living with Your ICD →.
What your ICD does
It does three things: it watches every heartbeat, paces if your heart goes too slow, and delivers a shock if it detects a dangerous fast rhythm. Often it will first try a painless burst of fast pacing (ATP) to stop the rhythm before resorting to a shock.
If you get a shock
- One shock and you feel well: sit down somewhere safe, then call our office the same day — even after hours. Your remote monitor has already reported it, but we want to hear how you felt.
- Two shocks within 24 hours, or one shock with chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or fainting: call 911.
- Someone touching you during a shock may feel a harmless tingle — they are not in danger.
Driving
This is different from pacemakers, and depends on why the ICD was placed:
- Preventive (no prior arrest): typically no driving for about 1 week.
- After a cardiac arrest, sustained dangerous rhythm, or a shock for one: usually 6 months without an event.
- Commercial driving (truck, bus) generally has permanent restrictions.
We’ll give you specific instructions — please follow them.
Daily life, MRI, and electronics
Phones, microwaves, and household electronics are fine. Keep strong industrial magnets and welding equipment at a distance, and don’t carry your phone directly over the device. Most modern ICDs are MRI-conditional — see MRI with a Pacemaker or ICD. Carry your device ID card and tell every dentist and surgeon about your ICD.
The emotional side
Feeling anxious about a possible shock — during exercise, intimacy, or sleep — is common and normal, especially in the first 6 months, and it usually eases as the device proves itself. What helps: understanding what the device does, cardiac rehab, and sometimes a few sessions with a counselor. If you find yourself avoiding things you used to enjoy, tell us — it’s part of your care.
The full guide
This is the short version. Your complete, printable patient guide — including the first six weeks, magnets and procedures, and a fridge-ready contact card — is here: Living with Your ICD →.