What is the difference between ICD and Pacemaker?

Pacemakers and ICDs, which means Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators, are two mechanisms or technologies which are being used by the medical personnel to prevent cardiac arrest for over a decade now. A pacemaker is usually used to increase the rate of heartbeat. It is employed into use to keep your heart from beating at a very slow rhythm.

This mechanism can also be adjusted to a favorable rate. On the other hand, ICD is bigger than the pacemaker in terms of size, and its function is a bit different. The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is a mechanism that is introduced to prevent a patient from dying from sudden death. This device is usually used in emergency situations to save lives.

This device functions in such a way that it activates immediately. It detects an arrhythmia, which is threatening to your life. The ICD seems more advanced than the pacemaker, but the pacemaker makes the patient feel better than the ICD.

AN ICD is known as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. This is something that can be placed under your skin. This is a device that will come with mechanisms to track your heart rate. It will also track the rhythm of your heart. If in case your heart starts to beat too fast or the rhythm is off, it will start to jump the heart to go back to what is considered to be normal.

A pacemaker is also a device that you will also place under your skin. What it will do is to ensure that it will guide your heart in order to have the proper rhythm and at the same time, make sure that it is beating just right.