The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in Iceland: a retrospective population based study.

BACKGROUND: Indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation have expanded considerably in recent years, resulting in steadily growing numbers of ICD recipients worldwide. The aim of this study was to review the overall experience with ICDs in Iceland. METHODS: This was a retrospective single centre study set at the University Hospital in Iceland. Data on all ICD implantations in Iceland from the first implantation in 1992 till the end of 2002 was reviewed. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients (71% male) received an ICD during this period. There was an increase in the number of implants by year and the number of new implants in 2001 and 2002 amounted to 56 and 38 per million, respectively. The mean age at implantation was 58 (+/-14) years. Forty patients (65%) had coronary artery disease. The most common indications for ICD implantation were cardiac arrest, 32 (52%) and another 26 (42%) had experienced ventricular tachycardia without cardiac arrest. The most common adverse event was inappropriate shocks. Twenty-eight patients (45%) received therapy from their ICDs, with the majority receiving appropriate therapy. Of the thirteen patients deceased before or during the study period, no case of sudden arrhythmic death was observed. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the experience with ICDs in Iceland is in most respects similar to other Western countries.

[The usefullness of implantable loop recorders for evaluation of unexplained syncope and palpitations]. / Notagildi ígraeddra taktnema vid mat á óútskýrdu yfirlidi og hjartsláttaróþaegindum.

OBJECTIVE: Syncope is a common complaint and determining the underlying cause can be difficult despite extensive evaluation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an implantable loop recorder for patients with unexplained syncope and palpitations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 18 patients, five of whom still have the device implanted. All patients had undergone extensive evaluation for their symptoms before getting the loop recorder implanted and this was therefore a highly select group. RESULTS: Of the thirteen patients where use of the device was completed, the mean age was 65±20 years. The loop recorder was in use for a mean time of 20±13 months. Unexplained syncope, eleven of thirteen, was the most common indication. The other two received the loop recorder for unexplained palpitations. Four patients had sick sinus syndrome during monitoring, three had supraventricular tachycardia and one had ventricular tachycardia. Further three had typical symptoms but no arrhythmia was recorded and excluding that as a cause. Two patients had no symptoms the entire time they had the loop recorder. Of the five patients still with the device three had syncope as the indication for monitoring and two have the device as a means of evaluating the results of treatment for arrhythmia. CONCLUSION: This study on our initial experience with implantable loop recorders shows that these devices can be useful in the investigation of the causes of syncope and palpitations.

Health-related quality of life of patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators compared with that of pacemaker recipients.

AIMS: Studies indicate a poorer quality of life (QoL) for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients than for the general population. However, studies comparing the QoL of ICD patients with that of patients with other implantable cardiac devices are scarce. We hypothesized that ICD patients had a poorer QoL than pacemaker patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: All ICD patients living in Iceland at the beginning of 2002 (44 subjects), and a comparison group of 81 randomly selected patients with pacemakers were invited to participate. The Icelandic Quality of Life Questionnaire (IQL), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were submitted to measure QoL, psychiatric distress, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The ICD and pacemaker groups did not differ on IQL, BAI, BDI, or GHQ scores. ICD patients were as a group more fearful of death (P = 0.056) and showed more concerns about returning to work (P = 0.072), although these items fell just short of statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Contrary to our expectations, ICD patients had a comparable QoL with pacemaker recipients and were not more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, or general psychiatric distress. These findings are encouraging in view of expanding ICD indications.