Trends in time in the management of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator in the last phase of life: a retrospective study of medical records

The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) might give unwanted shocks in the last month of life. Guidelines recommend deactivation of the ICD prior to death.The aims of this study were to examine trends in time (2007-2016) in how and when decisions are made about ICD deactivation, and to examine patient- and disease-related factors which may have influenced these decisions. In addition, care and ICD shock frequency in the last month of...