Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
8
pubmed:dateCreated
1992-10-1
pubmed:abstractText
Although some patients remain at risk of losing physical control or collapsing after implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator for sustained ventricular arrhythmias, little is known about restrictions advised by arrhythmia specialists to patients with implanted devices concerning physical activities such as driving. In this study, all of the 58 cardiologists implanting cardioverter defibrillators in three contiguous midwestern states were surveyed to determine present practices and the compatibility of these practices with existing state law. Of the 51 respondents (88%), 27 cardiologists (53%) advised only those implanted patients who had had arrhythmia-induced presyncope or physical collapse to cease driving. Twenty two of the remaining cardiologists (43%) advised all implanted patients to cease driving, whereas two cardiologists (4%) never advised any implanted patient to restrict driving. Permanent driving abstinence was advised by seven of the responding cardiologists (14%), while temporary driving abstinence for periods of 2-12 months (mean 6 +/- 3 months) was recommended by the remaining 42 respondents (82%) who advised against driving. The criteria utilized, driving restrictions advised, and durations advised for driving restrictions were not uniform in any of the 13 surveyed university and nonaffiliated cardiology practices with greater than or equal to 2 implanting cardiologists. Overall, 38 cardiologists (74%) advised against driving and recommended durations that equaled or exceed their state's minimum legal requirements, although only 27 of the 51 cardiologists (53%) based their practice upon knowledge of their state's driving laws. The results of this survey suggest that the majority of cardiologists who implant cardioverter defibrillators advise their patients against driving postoperatively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Aug
pubmed:issn
0147-8389
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
15
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1131-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1992
pubmed:articleTitle
Driving restrictions advised by midwestern cardiologists implanting cardioverter defibrillators: present practices, criteria utilized, and compatibility with existing state laws.
pubmed:affiliation
Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute, Ann Arbor.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article