Cardiac implantable therapeutic medical devices: A narrative review

Abstract

Heart diseases are common life-threatening acute diseases. They are leading causes of mortality worldwide, especially significant in developed countries. Other than medications for therapies and prophylaxis, special treatment considerations with implantable cardiac devices are important to reduce mortality and medical disability. This paper aims to review indications, contraindications, efficacy, complications, and generic considerations of several commonly implanted cardiac devices including pacemakers, cardiac resynchronization devices, implantable cardiac defibrillators, left atrial appendage occlusion watchman devices, and ventricular assist devices. As various implantable therapeutic cardiac devices are sometimes carried in the bodies of patients with cardiac disease, practitioners of various specialties should be familiar with different cardiac devices on the management of different cardiac conditions while providing holistic care.

Keywords

• cardiology; cardiac devices; heart disease; therapeutics; implants