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50,000 people are in danger from malfunctioning ICDs, depending on the type of defibrillator and the year it was manufactured. It is important for people at risk to not panic and seek out the advice of their medical professional. In some cases the devices will have to be replaced, but some simply need reprogramming to correct the malfunction.
There are few outward signs your ICD may need maintenance but patients who hear a beeping from their Contak Renewal or Contak Renewal 2 should call their doctor and report to the nearest emergency room immediately. Beeping means there has been a critical error in some element of the device, and will most likely lead to a failure should ventricular defibrillation occur.
Guidant released a statement on June 24, 2005 stating that it is voluntarily advising physicians about important safety information regarding certain devices. It is Guidant’s recommendation to doctors that they consider programming “Enable Magnet Use” to “OFF” to ensure that appropriate therapy to treat ventricular and atrial tachyarrhythmias will be provided in the event that the magnetic switch becomes stuck in the closed position. In addition, patients should contact their physicians or go to the hospital emergency room immediately if they hear tones from their device.
Additional information about this potential issue is available for physicians and patients at any time of day at 1-866-GUIDANT (1-866-484-3268).
What
is a defibrillator?
