Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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The purpose of this study was to compare psychological reactions and family adjustment after sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation in survivors who did and did not experience defibrillatory shocks the first year of recovery. ⋯ Both SCA survivors and their family members experience more psychological distress in the first year after ICD implantation if the defibrillator fires. Families in both shock and no shock groups report lower levels of family support and marital satisfaction the first year after SCA and ICD implantation.