Phantom shocks in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Phantom shock is the sensation of shock in the absence of an actual implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) discharge. The ICD is now the first-line therapy for patients with ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. There has been a significant increase in the number of patients with an ICD and patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) after a shock for evaluation and device interrogation.