If you have an implantable cardiac device (ICD) you may have some questions, below are some answers to common questions — check them out to see if yours can be answered.
If you can't find the information you need here, please contact the team using the details at the bottom of the page.
How to use - we currently use four different manufacturers for home monitoring. Please see your manufacturer’s specific information sheet for guidance.
Power cuts - don’t worry. We advise that you check that it powers back up when your power is restored.
Holidays and moving - let us know if you’re going away for more than two weeks and keep it plugged in.
Flashing, beeping or it's not working - firstly switch off and on again. If this hasn't solved your issue, contact customer care helpline relevant to your device.
Concerned that your home monitor isn’t working — if it hasn't been connected with your device for a few weeks, it will notify us. We will then contact you to check the connections and that it's still switched on. If these seem okay, we will ask you to contact the manufacturer who will be able to investigate further.
If you are having problems setting the monitor up or using the App your device will still work. Please call your manufacturer who will help guide you through the setup.
Don’t panic or worry — your device will still work. Please call your manufacturer who will help guide you through the setup.
Manufacturer contact numbers are:
If your ICD fires once and you feel:
Contact us to notify what has happened.
If you have home monitoring, we may ask for a download from your device or ask you to come to an appointment to check your device.
Call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance if you:
The paramedics should assess you, carry out vital checks and if necessary take you to your local hospital for treatment. If they decide that you need specialist treatment, you will be referred to our Essex Cardiothoracic centre.
The DVLA have strict and complex guidelines on driving once you have an implanted cardiac device and can vary from patient to patient. You can find out more at https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/disability-health-condition.
They also state that it is the driver’s responsibility to be aware if they are eligible to drive or not. They can be contacted on 0300 790 6806.
Electric vehicles — It is safe for somebody with a pacemaker or implantable cardiac defibrillator to drive, be a passenger in and use a charging point for an electric vehicle. However it is recommended you they don’t place the charging cable directly over the cardiac device, or stay near the charging cable for extended lengths of time.
If you have a cold, flu, chest infections, or shortness of breath, it's unlikely to be a faulty device. If you are uncomfortable, please speak to your GP first who will be able to assess your condition.
Pacemakers only stop your heart rate going too slow so this should not be causing your heart to race.
If you feel unwell you should seek emergency medical help by calling 111 or 999. If you feel okay, contact your GP.
Sometimes, devices can become infected.
If your device shows any signs of infection such as redness, new bruising, becomes swollen, hot to touch or inflamed, contact the arrhythmia nurses on 0300 443 7054 so we can look at the device and assess it.
For Basildon Hospital you should contact the Cardiac Day Unit on 0300 4430990 using extension 43054.
As you may already be aware your device is very clever. As a result if your device wants to let us know any important information such as the battery is starting to deplete, it may ‘beep’ or ‘vibrate’. If this happens, please contact us and we may arrange for a download of your device via your home monitor or ask you to attend clinic.
Sometime some patients feel a twitching sensation in their stomach.
This will not cause you any harm and is probably due to the pacemaker aggravating the phrenic nerve that is near the front of your chest, close to where the pacemaker stimulates your heart.
If you experience this and it's uncomfortable, let us know and we can adjust your device to stop this from happening.
If for any reason you cannot make your appointment to have your device checked it is important that you contact us and give us as much time as possible to reschedule. As a busy service we have limited spaces and can always fill empty spaces at short notice.
If you are eligible and need transport please contact our booking team who can arrange this for you on 0300 4434801
If you have a pacemaker implanted, most local hospital can follow up pacemakers. Please let us know that you would like this to occur and we will contact them and arrange to transfer the care of your pacemaker to them. If however, you have an ICD or CRT pacemaker it may not be possible as some local hospitals do not have the facilities to carry this out. Please ask and we can let you know.
Security alarms in the shops are fine. Just walk normally through them, and avoid standing in between for prolonged periods of time.
Airports have thousands of pacemaker and ICD patients pass through them every year and the security staff are trained and familiar with what precautions if any are required of the particular equipment they use.
At the airport, show security your ID card. They should carry out a hand search. Advise them to avoid the use of the wand (detector) and the walkthrough scanners which, in rare cases, can interact with your device.
There are some case reports of electric blankets interacting with cardiac implantable devices. We advise that if you wish to use one that you use it before you got to bed to warm the bed and turn it off prior to getting into bed.
Yes, this will not affect your device
Your watch or bracelet will not interact with your device. The heart rates these devices show can be erroneous so try not to get fixated on the number they show as it's often inaccurate.
Some rollercoasters may interact with your device, please follow the ride's precautions.
The manufacturers recommendations state that you should not use “if you are fitted with an electronic implanted device such as a heart pacemaker or Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD)."
If you have a Medtronic Reveal ™Loop recorder, you will have been given the activator to use when you have symptoms. If you use this more than once or have symptoms such as passing out of nearly passing out, please contact us and we will arrange for you to come in and have your device checked. If your activator runs out of batteries, you can replace them with Duracell N 1.5V batteries.
If you have an Abbott Confirm RX™ that uses the App to log symptoms please use this to record them. If there any significant episodes we will contact you. If you are having problems with the app, please contact Abbott Medical Merlin on 0800 389 2714.
Most of our newer devices may be MRI compatible under specific conditions. Please ask your doctor to contact us and we can advise them appropriately. Your device ID card will have the details of your device the which the MRI department may ask you for these details.
Your device is designed and manufactured to protect itself from lots of different operations. Please take your device identification card with you if you attend a pre-assessment. In some cases we will need to speak with the team performing your operation and may need to check and alter your device settings for the duration of the procedure and put them back post operation.
Yes, if clinically indicated.
Yes, in most cases this will be fine. Inform the radiographer that you have a device.
Most dental equipment is fine to use on patients with devices. However there are some pieces of their equipment that may interact with your device. Always let your dentist know,
A list of commonly used equipment can be found at
https://www.medtronic.com/uk-en/patients/electromagnetic-guide/medical-dental.html
These pose a potential risk of interaction with your device and use should be avoided if possible, or used with caution keeping a distance of two feet between the cooking surface and your device.
Stop using the induction hob is you feel at all unwell.
At each device follow up check, we assess the battery longevity amongst other information, here a minimum battery life is given and this helps us plan when a battery change will need to be booked. Devices can vary in life and is dependent on how much they are used.
Battery change procedures are typically day stay events and are shorter in duration compared with a new device implant, as in most cases the leads are already implanted and well healed. In some rare circumstances, leads may need to be replaced or additional leads added dependent on clinical history and symptoms. This will be discussed with you prior to your procedure.
If you have a pacemaker we won’t have to do anything as we can’t turn them off.
If you have an ICD, we may have to turn it off, especially if you are being cremated. In most cases, it's best practice when reaching end of life to deactivate your ICD in advance. This will not affect the pacemaker function of your ICD and is carried out in the clinic.
As within the UK, centre hospitals will only be able to check your device. Always take a copy of your identification card with you and refer to your specific manufactures website. For more information, visit:
Please email btu-tr.essexcrm@nhs.net with your details and we will send a new one in the post.
If you can’t find the answer to your query in the frequently asked questions,
you can contact us by email mse.essexcrm@nhs.net.
Technical queries — call 0300 443 5107.
Appointments only — call 0300 443 4801.
Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
Please be advised that we are extremely busy and you will usually get through to an answer phone, please leave a message and we will get back to you.