Unneeded ICD shocks have a costly aftermath
The ICD devices that jump-start a heart can also each run up thousands of dollars in costs for accidentally doing what they’re supposed to. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine recently discovered that implantable cardioverter defibrillators that shock can do more harm than good.
The Medtronic-funded research analyzed the electronic health data and patient data of 10,266 patients who had ICDs implanted between 2008 and 2010. Of those patients, researchers picked 963 of them who received more than one ICD shock.
Over one-third of the shocks were not needed, according to the study, and almost half of the patients who had an unnecessary shock had to see their doctors anyways.
Defibrillators give unnecessary shocks if the system malfunctions. For example, a broken wire can make an electrical noise that appears as an irregular heartbeat.
The costs of an ICD shock ranges from $1,300 to $20,000 for one person in outpatient and inpatient care, and you still have to pay if the shock was unneeded.
Researchers say that simply reprogramming the ICDs to avoid unneeded shocks can reduce healthcare costs.
Read more about the cost of unneeded ICD shocks.
Becca Holton says
These breakthroughs were fascinating to hear about. I’m glad that you ended on a good note. It’s wonderful to hear that about advances that have helped us better understand heart disease and its treatment.