Perceptions and experiences of patients living with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.

Sudden cardiac deaths have become a growing major public health concern that affects the world. Despite the various etiologies, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias attribute the main cause of sudden cardiac deaths. Therefore in certain groups of high-risk patients, the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) has been recommended as either a secondary or primary prophylactic method of prevention.