Background

Almost 30 years after the first human implants, ICD therapy has become the treatment of choice in patients at risk of developing malignant ventricular arrhythmias. 1, 2 Accordingly, the number of patients implanted with an ICD has increased substantially over the past decade, 3 mainly as a consequence of the expansion of ICD indications into the field of primary prevention of SCD in patients with decreased left ventricular function. In 2008,∼ 120 000 patients received an ICD worldwide. 3 As a result of the growing number of ICD patients, ICD-related problems are increasingly encountered and patients with one or multiple shocks are to day frequently seen at emergency departments, hospital wards, or ICD clinics. Therefore, personnel working in these environments should have specific knowledge concerning the management of ICD-related problems.