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Complications of defibrillation testing

A review of the literature

Komplikationen der Defibrillatortestung

Eine Literaturübersicht

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Abstract

Defibrillation testing (DT) has traditionally been performed at the time of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) insertion. However, there has been a trend away from conducting DT, in part due to observational studies showing uncommon but serious complications related to DT. More recently, several randomized trials have shown no improvement in the efficacy of clinical shocks among patients assigned to have DT. These trials also suggest a modest increase in perioperative complications related to DT; however, the overall rate of complications was very low. This review focuses on the prevalence of complications associated with DT and elaborates on a number of indications for DT.

Zusammenfassung

Üblicherweise wurde bei der Implantation eines implantierbaren Kardioverter/Defibrillators (ICD) eine Defibrillationstestung (DT) bisher durchgeführt. Jedoch gibt es eine Tendenz weg von der Durchführung einer DT, die z. T. auf Beobachtungsstudien beruht, welche ungewöhnliche, aber schwere Komplikationen der DT zeigten. In jüngerer Zeit fanden mehrere randomisierte Studien keine Verbesserung der Wirksamkeit klinischer Schocks bei Patienten, bei denen eine DT erfolgt war. In diesen Studien ergaben sich auch Hinweise auf einen mäßigen Anstieg perioperativer Komplikationen in Bezug auf die DT, allerdings war die Gesamtrate der Komplikationen sehr niedrig. Die vorliegende Übersichtsarbeit beschreibt die Prävalenz von Komplikationen in Zusammenhang mit der DT und führt dies zu für verschiedene Indikationen aus.

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Correspondence to Jeff S. Healey MD.

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B. Deif states that there are no conflicts of interest.

J. Healey has received a research grant from Boston Scientific to conduct the SIMPLE trial and has a personnel award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ontario Provincial office (MC7450).

This article does not involve studies on humans or animals.

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Deif, B., Healey, J. Complications of defibrillation testing. Herzschr Elektrophys 26, 320–323 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-015-0404-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-015-0404-4

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