FDA approves firmware update for Abbott ICDs, CRT-Ds

Editor's Note

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 17 announced that it had approved a firmware update that is now available for certain Abbott (formerly St Jude Medical) implantable cardiac devices (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds).

The update is a corrective action (recall) to reduce the risk of patient harm because of premature battery depletion and potential exploitation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The FDA recommends that patients receive the firmware update at their next scheduled visit or when appropriate, depending on the preferences of the patient and physician.