1. Sudden cardiac death while waiting: do we need the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator?
- Author
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Israel, Carsten, Staudacher, Ingo, Leclercq, Christophe, Botto, Giovanni Luca, Scherr, Daniel, Fach, Andreas, Duru, Firat, Zylla, Maura M, Katus, Hugo A, Thomas, Dierk, Children’s Center Bethel (EvkB), Heidelberg University Hospital [Heidelberg], Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l'Image (LTSI), Université de Rennes 1 (UR1), Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), CHU Pontchaillou [Rennes], Medical University Graz, Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (UZH), German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Projekt DEAL, University of Zurich, Thomas, Dierk, and Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)
- Subjects
Electric Countershock ,610 Medicine & health ,Ventricular tachycardia ,General Medicine ,2705 Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator ,Defibrillators, Implantable ,Wearable Electronic Devices ,Sudden cardiac death ,Myocardial infarction ,Death, Sudden, Cardiac ,10209 Clinic for Cardiology ,Humans ,[SDV.IB]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Bioengineering ,cardiovascular diseases ,Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator ,Cardiomyopathies ,Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,Defibrillators ,Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - Abstract
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the most frequent cause of cardiovascular death in industrialized nations. Patients with cardiomyopathy are at increased risk for SCD and may benefit from an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). The risk of SCD is highest in the first months after myocardial infarction or first diagnosis of severe non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. On the other hand, left ventricular function may improve in a subset of patients to such an extent that an ICD might no longer be needed. To offer protection from a transient risk of SCD, the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) is available. Results of the first randomized clinical trial investigating the role of the WCD after myocardial infarction were recently published. This review is intended to provide insight into data from the VEST trial, and to put these into perspective with studies and clinical experience. As a non-invasive, temporary therapy, the WCD may offer advantages over early ICD implantation. However, recent data demonstrate that patient compliance and education play a crucial role in this new concept of preventing SCD.
- Published
- 2022