Recent multicenter studies have shown that the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is superior compared to antiarrhythmic agents after sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with congestive heart failure. Further ICD studies have to be performed for primary prevention of SCD in patients with heart failure. Primary prevention studies of SCD with Amiodarone or new class III agents (e. g., Dofetilide) were not able to lower cardiac mortality in these patients. How much the new method of biventricular pacing in patients with heart failure and left bundle branch block will reduce cardiac mortality has to be proven in future prospective trials.
Keyphrases
- heart failure
- left ventricular
- cardiac resynchronization therapy
- case control
- end stage renal disease
- cardiovascular events
- newly diagnosed
- ejection fraction
- chronic kidney disease
- risk factors
- prognostic factors
- atrial fibrillation
- peritoneal dialysis
- type diabetes
- coronary artery disease
- clinical trial
- acute heart failure
- cardiovascular disease