How Wearable Defibrillators Save Patients’ Lives

In this broadcast segment by CBS Kansas City, David Smith of Leawood, Kansas recounts the night his life was saved by the LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD), which was prescribed by his cardiologist, Dr. Rachel Sosland, to protect him from sudden cardiac death (SCD).

“I knew that because of his low heart function, that he was going to be at risk of developing a fatal cardiac rhythm problem,” explains Dr. Sosland.

Just a month after being fitting with the LifeVest WCD, David suffered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) while asleep in his home. SCA has a survival rate of just 12 percent in the U.S., but David’s LifeVest automatically detected his heart’s abnormal rhythm and delivered a treatment shock that saved his life.

Awoken by LifeVest alerts, David’s wife, C’arren, witnessed her husband receive the life-saving treatment and immediately called 9-1-1. David regained consciousness just after the treatment shock and was taken to the hospital. He later received surgery to repair his heart’s function.

David credits his cardiologist and LifeVest for saving his life, saying, “Had Dr. Sosland not prescribed [LifeVest], I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

Now, the Smiths are grateful for each new day and David plans to enjoy every heart beat with his four children and 10 grandchildren.

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