Implantable defibrillator recipients' responses to device implantation and design.
The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a surgically inserted device that follows a well-established pattern of technology innovation and rapid adoption without extensive clinical trials. Few devices are as obviously life-saving in potentially fatal situations and deliver such sudden and sometimes painful therapy. Although patients' quality of life and adjustment to the device both physically and psychologically are relatively well-documented, few studies have explored recipients' responses to the device itself or elicited their thoughts on the technological design. The findings presented here are from a prospective Australian study that surveyed 110 ICD recipients pre-insertion and at 3, 12, and 18 months post-insertion. Recipients' responses to the device and their thoughts on design were sought. Respondents were overwhelmingly willing to: 1) accept the ICD, 2) recommend it to others, and 3) welcome such innovations as warning tones, device-controlled drug delivery, and telephone interrogation of the device.
Pelletier
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D
Cooperative Research Centre for Cardiac Technology, Sydney, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology, Sydney.
Mitten-Lewis
S
S
Gallagher
R D
RD
McKinley
S
S
Squire
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy; D001315:Australia; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013318:Stroke Volume