Utility of the Audible Alert in Current Generation Medtronic Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillators

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the alert tones emitted by the latest generation of Medtronic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are audible to patients. ICD patients can have difficulties hearing the beeps, which are designed to notify patients of possible lead or generator malfunction. In fact, the only published study of this issue, conducted at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, revealed that only 50% of patients with older Medtronic devices were able to hear alerts. Since then, modifications to the alert have been made by Medtronic. This study will establish the "real-world" value of these changes and also provide useful in vivo information regarding the validity of the in vitro techniques which have been used thus far to design the Patient Alert feature.