Heart device patients may want to consider and discuss their options with their family and physician and make their wishes known in a healthcare directive. A healthcare directive is a document that informs others of a person's wishes about their healthcare, should they be unable to make decisions for themselves.

Based on type of implanted device, directives may address topics such as deactivating the intended therapy. By deactivating a device, pacemakers will no longer deliver pacing therapy, ICDs will no longer deliver shocks, and any monitoring being done will stop.