These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.

Juan, age 62: I have class II heart failure. I have some shortness of breath when I go for walks. My doctor said that I could have a risk of a really bad heart rhythm that could make my heart stop. We talked about an ICD. I'm a little nervous about getting shocked. But if it could save my life, it's worth it, so I'm going to get one.

Marie, age 71: I've had heart failure for a while now. My ejection fraction is 40%. It's not great. But my doctor says it's not low enough for me to think about getting an ICD. I'm taking my heart failure medicine, eating a low-salt diet, and doing everything my doctor says to do. If my ejection fraction gets lower, I will think about getting an ICD.

Lucy, age 55: About 6 months ago I had a heart attack. It affected my heart's ability to pump. So I have heart failure. I've had some trouble just going shopping and taking walks. My doctor and I agreed that I should get an ICD. The type I'm going to get combines a pacemaker for heart failure and an ICD.

Martin, age 66: My doctor told me that my heart rhythm problem might be fixed if we remove some heart tissue that causes the bad rhythm. The procedure is called ablation. It might correct the problem, so I don't need to have an ICD. I'm going to try that. If it doesn't work, then I'll talk to my doctor about getting an ICD.