Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jul;26(4):763-765.
doi: 10.1007/s10741-020-10064-8. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Wearable cardioverter defibrillator: bridging for implantable defibrillators in left ventricular assist device patients

Filippos-Paschalis Rorris  1 , Christos Charitos  2
Affiliations
Review

Wearable cardioverter defibrillator: bridging for implantable defibrillators in left ventricular assist device patients

Filippos-Paschalis Rorris et al. Heart Fail Rev. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

There is currently conflicting data available regarding the use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients. While the benefit of an ICD in heart failure patients is well demonstrated, such benefit has failed to reach the LVAD population. In lack of randomized control trial data on the topic of ICD use in LVAD recipients, major societal guidelines are in disagreement when comes to the topic of routine implantation of a permanent defibrillator in prospective ventricular assist device patients. Alternative permanent defibrillator strategies have been suggested for the LVAD population such as subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators (S-ICDs) but eligibility of patients for such practice remains disappointing. Although most of the heart failure patients undergoing LVAD implantation already bear an ICD, clinicians are left with the decision of de novo implanting an ICD in an important number of patients. Wearable cardioverter defibrillators could prove beneficial in LVAD recipients by utilizing them as a bridge to decision towards the implantation of a permanent defibrillator.

Keywords: Left ventricular assist device; Wearable cardioverter defibrillator.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Teuteberg JJ, Cleveland JC Jr, Cowger J et al (2020) The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Intermacs 2019 annual report: the changing landscape of devices and indications. Ann Thorac Surg 109(3):649–660 - DOI
    1. Al-Khatib SM, Stevenson WG, Ackerman MJ et al (2017) AHA/ACC/HRS guideline for management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society [published correction appears in Circulation. 2018 Sep 25;138(13):e415-e418]. Circulation. 2018;138(13):e210-e271
    1. Feldman D, Pamboukian SV, Teuteberg JJ, Birks E, Lietz K, Moore SA et al (2013) ISHLT Guidelines: the 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for mechanical circulatory support: executive summary. J Hear Lung Transplant 32:157–187 - DOI
    1. Potapov EV, Antonides C, Crespo-Leiro MG et al (2019) EACTS Expert Consensus on long-term mechanical circulatory support. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 56(2):230–270 - DOI
    1. Gopinathannair R, Cornwell WK, Dukes JW et al (2019) Device therapy and arrhythmia management in left ventricular assist device recipients: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 139(20):e967–e989 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources