title: Living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: The patients' experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the lived experiences of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous research suggests ICD recipients experience significant psychological distress with a focus on shock anxiety. In response, avoidant behaviors are often used which can lead to reduced quality of life, cardiac fitness and increased risk of arrhythmia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 18 recipients who had either received or not received an ICD shock was conducted. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes with sub-themes were defined: (i) physical consequences; (ii) emotional consequences (feeling vulnerable and uncertain; anxiety and depression); and (iii) coping with the ICD (avoidance/restrictive behaviors; acceptance; concealment).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICD recipients might be helped by a psycho-social intervention that corrects false beliefs about exercise and offers some simple stress management techniques. Additional elements might include helping recipients to re-evaluate goals and find a valued sense of self which this study found aided ICD acceptance.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.
authors.forename: Nina K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Policy and Social Sciences, School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK.
authors.forename: Jaynie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rance
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK. Electronic address: P.D.BENNETT@Swansea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004644:Emotions; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D035501:Uncertainty
keywords: Coping; Emotional consequences; Implantable cardioverter defibrillator; Nursing; Qualitative; Thematic analysis