Active implantable medical devices are electronic medical devices that are implanted inside the human body to monitor physiological parameters or deliver therapy. Some common active implantable medical devices include pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), neurostimulators, and cochlear implants. These devices actively monitor and provide medical treatment without any external intervention.

Pacemakers

Pacemakers are one of the most well-known Active Implantable Medical Devices. They are battery-powered devices implanted inside the body, usually under the skin of the chest, to regulate abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Pacemakers continuously monitor the heart rate and electrical activity of the heart. When the heart beats too slowly, missing beats, or in an irregular pattern, the pacemaker sends out low-energy electrical pulses to stimulate the heart and regulate its beating. Modern pacemakers can perform sophisticated functions like automatically adjusting the heart rate based on activity or other physiological demands. They have also evolved to become smaller and more reliable over the years.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are similar to pacemakers but have the added ability to deliver high-energy electrical shocks to restore normal heart rhythm in life-threatening arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation. ICDs detect dangerously fast heart rhythms and deliver shocks of energy to the heart muscle to terminate the arrhythmia and allow the heart's natural pacemaker to resume control of the heartbeat. These devices have significantly reduced mortality from lethal arrhythmias. Modern ICDs can also function as pacemakers to help control slow heart rhythms. Some ICDs even perform cardiac resynchronization therapy by pacing both lower heart chambers simultaneously to improve pumping efficiency in heart failure.

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