Machines in Our Hearts: The Cardiac Pacemaker, the Implantable Defibrillator, and American Health Care

Today hundreds of thousands of Americans carry pacemakers and implantable cardioverter—defibrillators (ICDs) within their bodies. These battery—powered machines—small computers, in fact—deliver electricity to the heart to correct dangerous disorders of the heartbeat. But few doctors, patients, or scholars know the history of these devices or how "heart—rhythm management" evolved into a multi—billion—dollar manufacturing and service industry.

Machines in Our Hearts tells the story of these t...