title: Ask the doctor. One day while I was gardening, I either slipped, hit my head, and passed out, or I passed out, fell, and hit my head. Since we couldn't tell, my doctors recommended I get a defribillator as "insurance" in case a heart rhythm problem was the cause. I have had the defribillator for eight years now, and it has never gone off. The battery is almost done and my doctor wants to put in a new battery. At age 86, I'd rather not have the procedure, the routine checkups are a hassle, and all of this is expensive. Could I just let the battery run down, then either leave the device in place or have it taken out?
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic