Patients with ICDs Have a Good Quality of Life
April 5, 2007 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Good news for those with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that most patients who receive an ICD live longer and are more active than before they received the device. More importantly, they have a quality of life comparable to average Americans their age.
From the press release:
-
Patients living with an ICD report high levels of emotional, physical and functional well-being, and are satisfied and able to adapt to living with the device.
-
When analyzed against a control population, their experiences are comparable to average Americans of the same age.
-
Driving, lifting heavy objects and sexual activity were the most common lifestyle concerns voiced by ICD patients during the quality of life survey, suggesting that physicians should routinely address these issues with patients when communicating expectations of living with the device and throughout long-term care.
Do you have an ICD? How do you feel?
NB: Julie at Another Chance Ranch has a Medtronic implantable cardioverter defibrillator. She seems to be happy and well after receiving it almost eight years ago to the day!
Tags: icd, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, heart, heart disease, diseases, illness, health, medicine
