Will a defibrillator protect my husband from a heart attack?
I am sorry to hear about your husband's recent heart attack. You definitely did a great job starting CPR! A defibrillator will shock the heart when it goes into abnormal rhythms like ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, which can be life-threatening heart rhythms. These rhythms can be caused by a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in an artery of the heart preventing blood flow and oxygen to reach an area of the heart. This can still occur in a person with a defibrillator, but there is some protection because a shock can be delivered immediately if one of the life threatening rhythms occurs.
It is very important to control all of the risk factors for heart attack such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, stop smoking, eat a healthy diet, exercise (as allowed by the physician)in order to further decrease the risk for future heart problems.
this was very helpful for my husband,due to the fact that he's had two silent heart attacks,that he didn't even know about,which his doctor's told him that he may have suffered before.and now my husband has the difibilator for about 5 yrs.now he's doing much better with diet/and exercise,thank goodness he does not smoked,never have.so yes you were very helpful.we really know now that he's doing the right thing.again thank you caring.com
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