| Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools. |
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy and the Need for Concomitant Antiarrhythmic DrugsVeterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, steve.singh{at}med.va.gov
Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are increasingly used for the prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (VAs); however, there is a potential for severe and debilitating anxiety caused by symptoms associated with ICD therapy and anticipation of shocks. Anxiety is a psycho-logic stressor, including physiologic components that may lead to adrenergic excitation triggering new arrhythmias and ICD therapies. This often requires concomitant antiarrhythmic medication to reduce the frequency of shocks and symptomatic arrhythmias treated by anti-tachycardia pacing. Although published studies have documented the efficacy of currently available antiarrhythmics, they have limitations in patients with heart failure, may affect the defibrillation threshold, and/or have been associated with major side-effects. In conclusion, for the patient with an ICD experiencing symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VTs) episodes or ICD shocks, there is a need for pharmacologic therapy to reduce the incidence of such events without affecting the performance of the ICD or causing major side-effects.
Key Words: implantable cardioverter defibrillator • antiarrhythmic drugs • quality of life
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vol. 12, No. 3,
175-180 (2007) This article has been cited by other articles:
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
 |
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
