Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Indications for cardiac defibrillators in patients with congestive heart failure

  • Published:
Current Heart Failure Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant cause of mortality in patients suffering from heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction. Implantable cardiac defibrillators have been shown to effectively reduce the incidence of SCD in this population. Multiple clinical trials have redefined the indications and patient profiles for their use: from secondary prevention to primary prevention of SCD. In this article, we will review the clinical trials contributing to the current practice guidelines, which include device therapy

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Zheng ZJ, Croft JB, Giles WH, Mensah GA: Sudden cardiac death in the United States, 1989 to 1998. Circulation 2001, 104:2158–2163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hallstrom AP, Ornato JP, Weisfeldt M, et al.: Public-access defibrillation and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. N Engl J Med 2004, 351:637–646.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Zipes DP, Roberts D: Results of the international study of the implantable pacemaker cardioverter-defibrillator. A comparison of epicardial and endocardial lead systems. The Pacemaker-Cardioverter-Defibrillator Investigators. Circulation 1995, 92:59–65.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. The Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Investigators: A comparison of antiarrhythmic-drug therapy with implantable defibrillators in patients resuscitated from near-fatal ventricular arrhythmias. N Engl J Med 1997, 337:1621–1623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Connolly SJ, Gent M, Roberts RS, et al.: Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS): a randomized trial of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator against amiodarone. Circulation 2000, 101:1297–1302.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kuck KH, Cappato R, Siebels J, Ruppel R: Randomized comparison of antiarrhythmic drug therapy with implantable defibrillators in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest: the Cardiac Arrest Study Hamburg (CASH). Circulation 2000, 102:748–754.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Salukhe TV, Dimopoulos K, Sutton R, et al.: Life-years gained from defibrillator implantation: markedly nonlinear increase during 3 years of follow-up and its implications. Circulation 2004, 109:1848–1853.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bokhari F, Newman D, Greene M, et al.: Long-term comparison of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator versus amiodarone: eleven-year follow-up of a subset of patients in the Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS). Circulation 2004, 110:112–116.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Oseroff O, Retyk E, Bochoeyer A: Subanalyses of secondary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator trials: antiarrhythmics versus implantable defibrillators (AVID), Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS), and Cardiac Arrest Study Hamburg (CASH). Curr Opin Cardiol 2004, 19:26–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gregoratos G, Abrams J, Epstein AE, et al.: ACC/AHA/ NASPE 2002 guideline update for implantation of cardiac pacemakers and antiarrhythmia devices: summary article: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (ACC/ AHA/NASPE Committee to Update the 1998 Pacemaker Guidelines). Circulation 2002, 106:2145–2161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bigger JT Jr, Fleiss JL, Kleiger R, et al.: The relationships among ventricular arrhythmias, left ventricular dysfunction, and mortality in the 2 years after myocardial infarction. Circulation 1984, 69:250–258.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Singh SN, Fletcher RD, Fisher SG, et al.: Amiodarone in patients with congestive heart failure and asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmia. Survival Trial of Antiarrhythmic Therapy in Congestive Heart Failure. N Engl J Med 1995, 333:121–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wilber DJ, Olshansky B, Moran JF, Scanlon PJ: Electrophysiological testing and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Use and limitations in patients with coronary artery disease and impaired ventricular function. Circulation. 1990, 82:633–635.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Moss AJ, Hall WJ, Cannom DS, et al.: Improved survival with an implanted defibrillator in patients with coronary disease at high risk for ventricular arrhythmia. Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial Investigators. N Engl J Med 1996, 335:1933–1940.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Buxton AE, Lee KL, Fisher JD, et al.: A randomized study of the prevention of sudden death in patients with coronary artery disease. Multicenter Unsustained Tachycardia Trial Investigators. N Engl J Med 1996, 335:1933–1940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Buxton AE, Lee KL, DiCarlo L, et al.: Multicenter Unsustained Tachycardia Trial Investigators. Electrophysiologic testing to identify patients with coronary disease who are at risk for sudden death. N Engl J Med 2000, 342:1937–1945.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Moss AJ, Zareba W, Hall WJ, et al.: For the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II Investigators. Prophylactic implantation of a defibrillator in patients with myocardial infarction and reduced ejection fraction. N Engl J Med 2002, 346:877–883.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Klein H, Auricchio A, Reek S, Geller C: New primary prevention trials of sudden cardiac death in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: SCD-HEFT and MADIT-II. Am J Cardiol 1999, 83:91D-97D.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bardy GH, Lee KL, Mark DB, et al.: Amiodarone or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for congestive heart failure. N Engl J Med 2005, 352:225–237.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kadish A, Dyer A, Daubert JP, et al.: Prophylactic defibrillator implantation in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med 2004, 350:2151–2158.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Ansalon G, Giannantoni P, Ricci R, et al.: Doppler myocardial imaging in patients with heart failure receiving biventricular pacing treatment. Am J Heart 2001, 142:881–896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Leclercq C, Kass D: Retiming the failing heart: principles and current clinical status of cardiac resynchronization. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002, 39:194–201.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Cazeau S, Leclercq C, Lavergne T, et al.: Effects of multisite biventricular pacing in patients with heart failure and intraventricular conduction delay. N Engl J Med 2001, 344:873–880.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Abraham WT, Fisher WG, Smith AL, et al.: Cardiac resynchronization in chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med 2002, 346:1845–1853.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Young JB, Abraham WT, Smith AL, et al.: Combined cardiac resynchronization and implantable cardioversion defibrillation in advance chronic heart failure: the MIRACLE Trial. JAMA 2003, 289:2685–2694.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, et al.: The effect of cardiac resynchronization on morbidity and mortality in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2005, 352:1539–1549.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bristow M, Saxon L, Boehmer J, et al.: Cardiac-resynchronization therapy with or without an implantable defibrillator advanced chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med 2004, 350:2140–2150. The utility of cardiac resynchronization was examined in patients with NYHA functional class III-IV heat failure and with QRS duration over 120 msec and LVEF less than 0.35. The COMPANION trial demonstrated a 20% reduction in all-cause hospitalizations and a 36% reduction in mortality alone with the CRT-D device (ICD with biventicular pacing), compared with optimal medical therapy.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. de Vreede-Swangemakes J, Gorgels A, Dubois-Arbouw W, et al.: Out of hospital cardiac arrest in the 1990s: a population-based study of Maastricht area on incidence, characteristics and survival. J Am Coll Cardiol 1997, 30:1500–1505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Wilber DJ, Zareba W, Hall WJ, et al.: Time dependence of mortality risk and defibrillator benefit after myocardial infarction. Circulation 2004, 109:1082–1084.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. The DAVID Trial Investigators: Dual-chamber pacing or ventricular backup pacing in patients with an implantable defibrillator: the Dual Chamber and VVI Implantable Defibrillator (DAVID) Trial. JAMA 2002, 288:3115–3123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Hyder M, Davoudi R, Healy E, et al.: Delivery of therapy in association to QRS width in prophylactic ICD implantation. Presented at the 77th Scientific Session of the American Heart Association. New Orleans, LA; November 7–10, 2004.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake Avenue North, 01655, Worcester, MA, USA

    Lawrence Rosenthal MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Isaac Pourati MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lawrence Rosenthal MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lawrence Rosenthal MD, PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pourati, I., Rosenthal, L. Indications for cardiac defibrillators in patients with congestive heart failure. Curr Heart Fail Rep 3, 197–202 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-006-0022-x

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-006-0022-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation