Pacemaker Club: Earthquake and ICD

Earthquake and ICD

by pepitol
2023-08-24 14:37:07
ICDs
842 views
2 comments

Hi Everyone!

I got a ICD implanted 18 months ago, never got a schock. I am 53.

Recently I have been in the Alps and climbed the Montblanc without any incidence or ICD issue.

Before the climb I was of course following a somehow demanding training. No problems have arisen.

Two days after the summit I was riding a e-bike, doing 1/3 of the fatigue I did in previous days, having no symptoms of tachy, breathing normally and nevertheless I got a shock. My first shock actually after being implanted. Of course I simply blamed myself since apparently I just went over my limits.

Few days after, we figure out that at the very same time I had the shock, there was a earthquake in the region. I have been looking for information regarding this particular issue, but I have found nothing. Can be just a matter of chance?

Any similar experience or information about this possible interference? Could the fact I was riding a e-bike make the interference worse?

Thanks in advance. Every info will be welcomed before having an interview with my cardiologist.

José Puig (Budapest)

2 Comments

electromagnetic-anomalies-earthquake

by chevreuil - 2023-08-24 17:22:22

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-electromagnetic-anomalies-earthquake.html

Don't know if its strong enough to affect the ICD.

Your cardiologist will be more interested in looking at your ICD data to find the cause for your shock

by Gemita - 2023-08-24 18:44:28

Hi Jose, what was the indication for your ICD? Your bio is empty. There must have been an indication, like a dangerous arrhythmia or a heart condition for you to have been given the device? No doubt it was the same heart condition/arrhythmia that caused the shock.

Your cardiac team will be able to retrieve the ICD data before your shock to look at the arrhythmia that was present.

Acute stress following a major earthquake or any major trauma can certainly trigger cardiac arrhythmias but you don’t sound as though you suffered acute stress at the time of your shock? You certainly weren’t aware of the earthquake at the time, were you?

Whatever the cause, your doctors will want to make sure that you are on the right medication, if indicated and that your ICD settings are appropriate for you, to try to prevent any "inappropriate" shocks from happening in the future.

The following link might be worth a read:-

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5650594/