ICD

Meaning of ICD: ICD most often refers to an implanted device that corrects dangerous heart rhythms, though the same abbreviation also names an unrelated diagnostic coding system.

Definition of ICD

ICD is an abbreviation most commonly used in clinical settings to refer to an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a small device placed surgically in the chest or abdomen and connected to the heart through wires threaded via a vein. The device continuously monitors the heart's electrical rhythm and is designed to detect a dangerously fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat.

When it detects such an abnormal rhythm, an ICD can deliver an electrical signal or shock intended to restore a normal heart rhythm, functioning both to correct certain rhythm problems directly and to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in people at elevated risk. An ICD is generally placed in people who have already experienced a serious rhythm abnormality or who are considered at significant risk of developing one.

The same abbreviation, ICD, is also widely used in health care to refer to the International Classification of Diseases, an entirely unrelated coding system used to classify diagnoses for medical records, billing, and public health statistics, so the intended meaning depends heavily on the surrounding context.