How are defibrillators used in the body?

Terminate arrhythmia: Implantable defibrillators are used in patients who have already experienced or are at risk of experiencing a malignant rhythm problem in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). The devices detect the arrhythmias then deliver a series of rapid pacing pulses or one or more shocks to reset the rhythm to normal.

ICD: Icds are implanted to monitor the electrical activity of very abnormal hearts to see if a life threatening rhythm occurs. If it detects one of these rhythms, it will charge its capacitor and fire a shock to defibrillate the heart back to stable rhythm. In appropriate patients these devices save lives.