Medtronic Recall

Understanding Ventricular Fibrillation

For a person with a heart condition, ventricular fibrillation is one of the most frightening diagnoses. However, by understanding what it is and how to prevent it from re-occurring, you can help improve your prognosis. Many patients who have life-saving defibrillators implanted unfortunately are affected by the 2007 Medtronic recall of Sprint Fidelis leads.

Ventricular Fibrillation and the Heart

With ventricular fibrillation, the electrical system in the heart becomes disorganized. Normally, electrical impulses provided cues to the four chambers of the heart, allowing them time to fill with blood and then open, pumping blood within the heart and allowing it to flow throughout the body. The opening of the valves in the chambers of the heart is the heartbeat.

When a person has ventricular fibrillation, the ventricle quivers instead of pumps, which doesn’t allow it to fill with blood. The heartbeat is irregular and extremely rapid, up to 350 beats per minute. The heart is not able to sustain this pace for more than a few minutes. Without immediate medical treatment, the heart will stop, sending the patient into cardiac arrest, which is often fatal.

Causes of Ventricular Fibrillation

The biggest cause of ventricular fibrillation is a recent heart attack. A variety of pre-existing heart conditions can also make a patient more susceptible. Heart damage from a previous heart attack, a congenital heart defect, or heart conditions such as myocarditis or cardiomyopathy as well as heart surgery and medications can lead to ventricular fibrillation.

Another condition, ventricular tachycardia, if left untreated, can lead to ventricular fibrillation. With ventricular tachycardia, the heartbeat is rapid (100 beats per minute) but regular. Blood is unable to move efficiently through the body and a person with tachycardia may feel chest pain, have a weak pulse, feel short of breath or feel dizzy or faint.

Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should see a doctor immediately.

Treatment for Ventricular Fibrillation

Doctors treat abnormal heart rhythms by providing an electrical shock. Once the patient’s heart is under control, doctors may insert a device called a defibrillator into the person’s chest. The wires in the defibrillator connect with the heart so the defibrillator can monitor the heart activity and administer electrical shocks as needed to make sure the heart is pumping efficiently.

Although most patients who have defibrillators find that it is a reassuring medical device, some who have a defibrillator manufactured by Medtronic using a wire called Sprint Fidelis, have not been as reassured.

The Sprint Fidelis wire, or lead, which connects to the heart, can fracture or break, thereby providing too great electrical shocks, or conversely, not providing enough electrical shock as needed. If you are a patient with a Sprint Fidelis lead, we encourage you to contact your doctor to discuss your medical options.

About the Author:

John Davidson is author of this article on Medtronic recall. Find more information about Medtronic lawsuit here.