AIMS The number of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (permanent pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators) undergoing radiotherapy treatment is increasing. The aims of this audit were to establish current UK practice regarding the management of patients with implanted cardiac devices undergoing radiotherapy and to compare this practice with current 'gold standard...

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an increasingly recognized cause of ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death in young people, notably young athletes. The best treatment is not clear, although options include antiarrhythmic drugs, radiofrequency ablation, and implantable defibrillators.

BACKGROUND The primary method for monitoring implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lead integrity is periodic measurement of impedance. Sprint Fidelis leads are prone to pace-sense lead fractures, which commonly present as inappropriate shocks caused by oversensing. METHODS AND RESULTS We developed and tested an algorithm to enhance early identification of lead fractures and to reduce inappr...

patient with cardiac arrest, as initial presentation of the underlying cardiac disease, who receives an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, cost cannot be evaluated, unless the first line therapeutic option for these patients is not an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Another approach could be to randomize these patients to an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or to other forms ...

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death in high risk populations.1 These devices were initially used only in patients who had survived an episode of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmia,2−4 but recent clinical trials have yielded favorable results in populations of patients who have not experienced such arrhythmias but who are at high risk....

Ventricular Fibrillation is a disorganized electrical excitation of the heart that results in inadequate blood flow to the body. It usually ends in death within seconds. The most common way to treat the symptoms of fibrillation is to implant a medical device, known as an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), in the patient’s body. Modelbased verification can supply rigorous proofs of sa...

This NICE technology appraisal guidance on cardiac resynchronisation therapy provides additional treatment options for some of the groups of people covered in the earlier guidance on implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Background The time constant of truncated exponential pulses used with implantable defibrillators is determined by the output capacitor size and defibrillation pathway resistance. The optimal capacitor size is unknown. Methods and Results This study compared defibrillation threshold (DFT) for standard 120-,uF capacitors (DFT120) and smaller 60-,gF capacitors (DFT60) at implantation of cardiover...

Lamin A/C gene-related cardiomyopathy is associated with progressive heart failure and malignant arrhythmias. Current guidelines advise the use of implantable defibrillators to prevent arrhythmogenic sudden cardiac death only in situations where there is evidence of severe left ventricular dysfunction. We describe a case of a woman with genetically confirmed Lamin C deficiency with preserved le...