NEW YORK — A lifesaving shock from an implanted heart defibrillator provides relief that a crisis was avoided, but new research suggests it can also be a sign that more trouble is ahead.
A study found that heart-failure patients were far more likely to die within four years after their defibrillator zapped the heart into beating normally than those who got no shock.
Experts said patients should promptly tell their doctors if their defibrillator triggers. And doctors should check to see if their patients’ condition has worsened and whether tests or medication changes are needed.
The findings are in today’s New England Journal of Medicine, along with another study that concluded that having an implanted defibrillator doesn’t appear to diminish one’s quality of life.
