hey there Din, I happen to be a Medtronic Rep in the field, in the cath lab and OR implanting ICD's almost every day. As a matter of fact I've got a case first thing in the am tomorrow, implanting a BI V ICD. Your ? about ICD's is common, and a good one, but trust me these devices are solid, and totally misunderstood. With reguard to strong magnetic fields, Yes they ( strong mag fields) can temporarily! suspend detection to the ICD which is supposed to detect tachyarrythmias, ( Fast lethal heart rates) but you need to be very close for this to happen, and its only temporary, thats what I educate my Pt's who receive them. Listen if your G/F is getting one I'd be glad to share some insight to the available technology out there, believe me when I say Pattern and rate discrimination and a fast charge time with a battery voltage that wont EVER drop below 2.6 volts, with ATP therapy down to 240ms is HUGE, (of course im showing off here but it's not for my sake..... if you get my meaning).BTW, I had a wonderful experince last week when a father, at his daughters wedding went into VF and was Defibrillated out of VF into a Normal Sinus Rthym, in under 8 sec,(he forgot to take his meds, tisk, tisk)and was able to tell me how proud he was of her, bla bla bla you get the pic, you can E Mail me privately if you wish to talk.........Sorry to babble on
