your heart. ‚
A special tool is used to check your battery. It also checks to see if your defibrillator is working the right way. This is often done with your regular visits to the office. Doctors may also check your defibrillator over the phone, through the computer, or over a wireless internet connection. Your doctor will help you plan to get the battery and generator replaced well before the battery runs out. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
To help others in case of emergency: ‚
- Wear a disease medical alert ID. This will let other people know that you have an ICD.
- Always carry your new registration card. It has facts about your ICD. It will be able to let other people know what to do.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your defibrillator will need to be checked.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Prevent infection
- Help with pain
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- You get one or more shocks in a short period of time
- Signs of abnormal heart rate. These include dizziness, throwing up, chest pain, palpitations, and lots of sweating.
- You feel the same way you did before your ICD was placed
- You feel your ICD is not working right
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have dizziness, chest pain, or feel one or more shocks in a short period of time.
Where can I learn more?
American Heart Association ‚
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/PreventionTreatmentofArrhythmia/Living-With-Your-Implantable-Cardioverter-Defibrillator-ICD_UCM_448462_Article.jsp ‚
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/icd/lifestyle.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚