Cardiac Implantable Electric Devices: Indications and Complications

AbstractPurpose of ReviewAs the evidence base for cardiac implantable electric devices (CIED), which include pacemakers, defibrillators, and devices with both functionalities, continues to expand, so does the rate of usage in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), atrial fibrillation (AF), or both. Given that no medical intervention is ever free from complications and unintended consequences, it is expected that patients will present to the Emergency Department (ED) for unscheduled, acute care secondary to CIED complications. In this article, we will examine first the indications for CIED placement in patients with chronic cardiac disease. Then, management of various common device-related complications and pathologies will be discussed.Recent FindingsIndications for CIED continue to expand and be refined. With substantial monitoring, patients with certain CIED may undergo MRI; however, the risk-benefit ratio should be examined closely on an individual occurrence level.SummaryUnderstanding the indications, the complications, and how CIED affect diagnostic options is crucial to providing optimum care for these patients.
Source: Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research