Sudden Death Mortality in Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Patients

JAY GROSS, PHILLIP ZILO, KEVIN FERRICK, JOHN D. FISHER, SEYMOUR FURMAN

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Implanfable Cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is not absolute and our experience was reviewed to determine the frequency and nature of SCO in this population. The incidence and cause of mortality in 56 consecutive patients, who underwent ICD implantation beginning May 1982 with follow‐up through May 19, 1990 were analyzed. Twenty‐one patients died, 33% of the mortality was due to SCD, and 52% of deaths may be considered arrhythmic. The cumulative 1, 3, and 5 year SCD survivals were 93%, 89%, and 75%. All seven patients dying of SCD presented initially with SCD, all received previous shocks prior to SCD, and two of the seven patients had devices that were probably inactive at the time of death. We conclude that ICDs reduce but by no means eliminate arrhythmic death, particularly in those at highest risk for SCD. Arrhythmic death remained the most common cause of death in this population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)250-254
Number of pages5
JournalPacing and Clinical Electrophysiology
Volume14
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1991

Keywords

  • implantable Cardioverter defibrillator
  • sudden death
  • ventricular arrhythmia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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