RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has become a widely accepted therapy for patients with severe life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The aim of this study was to illustrate the possible advantages of ICDs with respect to survival and clinical events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2000, 92 patients (aged 58±15 years; ejection fraction 36±15%; coronary artery disease 71%) were treated with an ICD in combination with an endocardial lead system. Benefit of the ICD was estimated as the difference between total cardiac death and the projected death rate of fast ventricular tachyarrhythmias (>200 bpm), assuming that most fast ventricular tachyarrhythmias would have been fatal without termination by the ICD. Adverse events were classified according to European standards. The cardiac mortality rate was 5.5% and 9.8%, at one and two years respectively. The recurrence rate of fast VT (>200 bpm) was 22.4% and 30.2%, at one and two years respectively. The observed difference between cardiac death and projected death was very significant (p=0.002) and suggests a clear benefit from ICD implantation. Low ejection fraction (<35%) and NYHA class ≥II correlated with a higher projected death. The most common adverse event was inappropriate therapy (18%). CONCLUSION: The results from our small series support the existing data that especially patients with poor ejection fraction (<35%) benefit from ICD implantation. The adverse event rate was low. However, inappropriate therapy remains a matter of concern. Given the high workload of correct screening and follow-up, we expect that the actual number of centres in the Netherlands permitted to implant ICDs will be unable to cope with the widening spectrum of ICD indications.