The current technology relates to a shock deferral unit that is portable by an ambulatory patient. The shock deferral unit has a bi-directional communication device configured to receive a notification of an impending shock from a defibrillator and configured to send an instruction to defer the impending shock to the defibrillator. An authentication interface is configured to receive authentication data from a user. A user instruction interface is configured to receive the instruction to defer the impending shock from the user. An authentication device is configured to authenticate the user based on the authentication data and instruct the bi-directional communication device to send the instruction to defer a shock upon authentication and receipt of the instruction to defer the shock.