Implantable defibrillators, also known as CRT-Ds, can cause people to struggle with weight loss – doctors suggest that those who lose a few pounds unintentionally will fare worse than those who try to shed the pounds. It’s a common misconception that those who are overweight or obese and suffer from heart complications would be better off losing some weight, but new studies have suggested otherwise. It seems that obese patients with heart failure issues are actually better off than those who aren’t overweight.
Unintended weight loss, it appears, can be more damaging than those who try to shift the pounds, as the CRT-D works through sending electronic impulses to alter and correct the heart’s rhythm. This helps it to pump blood more effectively, which those with congestive heart failure will struggle with. If the CRT-D detects a dangerous rhythm, it will shock the heart back to normality. In a study, it was found that the outcome was worse in those who lost weight – the higher the weight loss, the worse the result. Those who lost 4.4 pounds or more were at an 82 percent higher risk of heart failure or death. The study noted that heart failure was defined by an episode of heart complications which were severe enough to require a hospital visit.
If you’re overweight and are trying to lose the extra pounds, it’s important that you do so under your GPs supervision – this is particularly the case if you have a heart complication or have a defibrillator. It’s vital that you start off slow and build up to more regular exercise, so as not to put your body under excessive strain. If you’re losing weight but aren’t actually trying to, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible, as this could be a cause for concern.
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