Article

Implantable Cardiac Devices in the Treatment of Arrhythmias and Congestive Heart Failure

Register or Login to View PDF Permissions
Permissions× For commercial reprint enquiries please contact Springer Healthcare: ReprintsWarehouse@springernature.com.

For permissions and non-commercial reprint enquiries, please visit Copyright.com to start a request.

For author reprints, please email rob.barclay@radcliffe-group.com.
Average (ratings)
No ratings
Your rating

DOI:https://doi.org/10.15420/usc.2012.9.2.99

Copyright Statement:

The copyright in this work belongs to Radcliffe Medical Media. Only articles clearly marked with the CC BY-NC logo are published with the Creative Commons by Attribution Licence. The CC BY-NC option was not available for Radcliffe journals before 1 January 2019. Articles marked ‘Open Access’ but not marked ‘CC BY-NC’ are made freely accessible at the time of publication but are subject to standard copyright law regarding reproduction and distribution. Permission is required for reuse of this content.

Abstract

The concept of using an implantable device to manage arrhythmias and heart failure started over 50 years ago. Since then, we have seen these devices improve patient outcomes from bradyarrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, and heart failure. These devices are now standard of care in the management of patients and include pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or combination devices. The future may hold expansion of the indications for these devices, with careful examination of the outcomes of today's patients. In addition, there is very exciting new technology that may further advance the management of arrhythmias and heart failure.

To view the full article in PDF format, please click on the icon above.

References

  1. Mirowski M, Reid PR, Mower MM, et al., Termination of malignant ventricular arrhythmias with an implanted automatic defibrillator in human beings, N Engl J Med, 1980;303:322–4.
    Crossref | PubMed
  2. The Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Investigators. A comparison of antiarrhythmic-drug therapy with implantable defibrillators in patients resuscitated from near-fatal ventricular arrhythmias, N Engl J Med, 1997;337:1576–80.
    Crossref | PubMed
  3. Moss AJ, Hall WJ, Cannom DS, et al., Improved survival with an implanted defibrillator in patients with coronary disease at high risk for ventricular arrhythmia. Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial Investigators, N Engl J Med, 1996;335:1933–40.
    Crossref | PubMed
  4. Moss AJ, Zareba W, Hall WJ, et al., Prophylactic implantation of a defibrillator in patients with myocardial infarction and reduced ejection fraction, N Engl J Med, 2002;346:877–83.
    Crossref | PubMed
  5. Bardy GH, Lee KL, Mark DB, et al., Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) Investigators, Amiodarone or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for congestive heart failure, N Engl J Med, 2005;352:225–37.
    Crossref | PubMed
  6. Kremers MS, Lang C, Hammill SC, The NCDR ICD Registry Version 2.0: Update and inclusion of pediatric ICDs and implanted leads, EP Lab Dig, Apr 5, 2010.
  7. Al-Khatib SM, Hellkamp A, Curtis J, et al., Non-evidence-based ICD implantations in the United States, JAMA, 2011;305:43–9.
    Crossref | PubMed
  8. Grines CL, Bashore TM, Boudoulas H, et al., Functional abnormalities in isolated left bundle branch block. The effect of interventricular asynchrony, Circulation, 1989;79:845–53.
    Crossref | PubMed
  9. Auricchio A, Fantoni C, Regoli F, et al., Characterization of left ventricular activation in patients with heart failure and left bundle-branch block, Circulation, 2004;109:1133–9.
    Crossref | PubMed
  10. McCullough PA, Hassan SA, Pallekonda V, et al., Bundle branch block patterns, age, renal dysfunction, and heart failure mortality, Int J Cardiol, 2005;102(2):303–8.
    Crossref | PubMed
  11. Tabrizi F, Englund A, Rosenqvist M, et al., Influence of left bundle branch block on long-term mortality in a population with heart failure, Eur Heart J, 2007;28:2449–55.
    Crossref | PubMed
  12. Zannad F, Huvelle E, Dickstein K, et al., Left bundle branch block as a risk factor for progression to heart failure, Eur J Heart Fail, 2007;9:7–14.
    Crossref | PubMed
  13. Hawkins NM, Wang D, McMurray JJ, et al., CHARM Investigators and Committees. Prevalence and prognostic impact of bundle branch block in patients with heart failure: evidence from the CHARM programme, Eur J Heart Fail, 2007;9:510–7.
    Crossref | PubMed
  14. Stephenson K, Skali H, McMurray JJ, et al., Long-term outcomes of left bundle branch block in high-risk survivors of acute myocardial infarction: the VALIANT experience, Heart Rhythm, 2007;4:308–13.
    Crossref | PubMed
  15. Abraham WT, Fisher WG, Smith AL, et al., MIRACLE Study Group. Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation. Cardiac resynchronization in chronic heart failure, N Engl J Med, 2002;346:1845–53.
    Crossref | PubMed
  16. Bristow MR, Saxon LA, Boehmer J, et al., Comparison of Medical Therapy, Pacing, and Defibrillation in Heart Failure (COMPANION) Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy with or without an implantable defibrillator in advanced chronic heart failure, N Engl J Med, 2004;350:2140–50.
    Crossref | PubMed
  17. Mullens W, Verga T, Grimm RA, et al., Persistent hemodynamic benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy with disease progression in advanced heart failure, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009;53:600–7.
    Crossref | PubMed
  18. Shalaby A, Voigt A, El-Saed A, Saba S, Usefulness of pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography to predict outcome in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy heart failure, Am J Cardiol, 2008;101:238–41.
    Crossref | PubMed
  19. Aiba T, Hesketh GG, Barth AS, et al., Electrophysiological consequences of dyssynchronous heart failure and its restoration by resynchronization therapy, Circulation, 2009;119:1220–30.
    Crossref | PubMed
  20. Ermis C, Seutter R, Zhu AX, et al., Impact of upgrade to cardiac resynchronization therapy on ventricular arrhythmia frequency in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2005;46:2258–63.
    Crossref | PubMed
  21. Doshi RN, Daoud EG, Fellows C, et al., PAVE Study Group, Left ventricular-based cardiac stimulation post AV nodal ablation evaluation (the PAVE study), J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2005;16:1160–5.
    Crossref | PubMed
  22. Achilli A, Sassara M, Ficili S, et al., Long-term effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with refractory heart failure and “narrow” QRS, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2003;42:2117–24.
    Crossref | PubMed
  23. Yu CM, Chan YS, Zhang Q, et al., Benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure patients with narrow QRS complexes and coexisting systolic asynchrony by echocardiography, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006;48:2251–7.
    Crossref | PubMed
  24. Bleeker GB, Holman ER, Steendijk P, et al., Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with a narrow QRS complex, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2006;48:2243–50.
    Crossref | PubMed
  25. Beshai JF, Grimm RA, Nagueh SF, et al., Cardiac-resynchronization therapy in heart failure with narrow QRS complexes, N Engl J Med, 2007;357:2461–71.
    Crossref | PubMed
  26. Chung ES, Leon AR, Tavazzi L, et al., Results of the Predictors of Response to CRT (PROSPECT) Trial, Circulation, 2008;117:2608–16.
    Crossref | PubMed
  27. Fornwalt BK, Sprague WW, BeDell P, et al., Agreement is poor among current criteria used to define response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, Circulation, 2010;121:1985–91.
    Crossref | PubMed
  28. Bradley DJ, Shen WK, Atrioventricular junction ablation combined with either right ventricular pacing or cardiac resynchronization therapy for atrial fibrillation: the need for large-scale randomized trials, Heart Rhythm, 2007;4:224–32.
    Crossref | PubMed
  29. Yu CM, Chan JY, Zhang Q, et al., Biventricular pacing in patients with bradycardia and normal ejection fraction, N Engl J Med, 2009;361:2123–34.
    Crossref | PubMed
  30. Linde C, Abraham WT, Gold MR, et al., REVERSE (Resynchronization reVErses Remodeling in Systolic left vEntricular dysfunction) Study Group. Randomized trial of cardiac resynchronization in mildly symptomatic heart failure patients and in asymptomatic patients with left ventricular dysfunction and previous heart failure symptoms, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2008;52:1834–43.
    Crossref | PubMed
  31. Daubert C, Gold MR, Abraham WT, et al., REVERSE Study Group. Prevention of disease progression by cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction: insights from the European cohort of the REVERSE (Resynchronization Reverses Remodeling in Systolic Left Ventricular Dysfunction) trial, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009;10:1837–46.
    Crossref | PubMed
  32. Moss AJ, Hall WJ, Cannom DS, et al., MADIT-CRT Trial Investigators. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy for the prevention of heart-failure events, N Engl J Med, 2009;361:1329–38.
    Crossref | PubMed
  33. Bleeker GB, Schalij MJ, Van Der Wall EE, Bax JJ, Postero-lateral scar tissue resulting in non-response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2006;17:899–901.
    Crossref | PubMed
  34. Mullens W, Grimm RA, Verga T, et al., Insights from a cardiac resynchronization optimization clinic as part of a heart failure disease management program, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009;53:765–73.
    Crossref | PubMed
  35. Wilton SB, Shibata MA, Sondergaard R, et al., Relationship between left ventricular lead position using a simple radiographic classification scheme and long-term outcome with resynchronization therapy, J Interv Card Electrophysiol, 2008;23:219–27.
    Crossref | PubMed
  36. Koplan BA, Kaplan AJ, Weiner S, et al., Heart failure decompensation and all-cause mortality in relation to percent biventricular pacing in patients with heart failure: is a goal of 100% biventricular pacing necessary?, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009;53:355–60.
    Crossref | PubMed
  37. Hoffmann E, Sulke N, Edvardsson N, et al., Atrial Fibrillation Therapy Trial Investigators, New insights into the initiation of atrial fibrillation: a detailed intraindividual and interindividual analysis of the spontaneous onset of atrial fibrillation using new diagnostic pacemaker features, Circulation, 2006; 113:1933–41.
    Crossref | PubMed
  38. Gillis A, Morck M, Atrial fibrillation after DDDR pacemaker implantation, J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2002;13:542–7.
    Crossref | PubMed
  39. Garrigue S, Barold SS, Cazeau S, et al., Prevention of atrial arrhythmias during DDD pacing by atrial overdrive, Pacing Clin Electrophysiol, 1998;21:1751–9.
    Crossref | PubMed
  40. Stabile G, Senatore G, De Simone A, et al., Determinants of efficacy of atrial pacing in preventing atrial fibrillation recurrences, J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 1999;10:2–9.
    Crossref | PubMed
  41. Ricci R, Santini M, Puglisi A, et al., Impact of consistent atrial pacing algorithm on premature atrial complex number and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation recurrences in brady–tachy syndrome: a randomized prospective cross over study, J Interv Card Electrophysiol, 2001;5:33–44.
    PubMed
  42. Carlson M, Ip J, Messenger J, et al., Atrial Dynamic Overdrive Pacing Trial (ADOPT) Investigators, A new pacemaker algorithm for the treatment of atrial fibrillation: results of the Atrial Dynamic Overdrive Pacing Trial (ADOPT), J Am Coll Cardiol, 2003;42:627–33.
    Crossref | PubMed
  43. Adler SW 2nd, Wolpert C, Warman EN, et al., Efficacy of pacing therapies for treating atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients with ventricular arrhythmias receiving a dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator, Circulation, 2001;104:887–92.
    Crossref | PubMed
  44. Lee MA, Weachter R, Pollak S, et al., ATTEST Investigators. The effect of atrial pacing therapies on atrial tachyarrhythmia burden and frequency: results of a randomized trial in patients with bradycardia and atrial tachyarrhythmias, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2003;41:1926–32.
    Crossref | PubMed
  45. Wellens HJ, Lau CP, Lüderitz B, et al., Atrioverter: an implantable device for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, Circulation, 1998;98(16):1651–6.
    Crossref | PubMed
  46. Gold MR, Sulke N, Schwartzman DS, et al., Worldwide Jewel AF-Only Investigators, Clinical experience with a dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator to treat atrial tachyarrhythmias, J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2001;12:1247–53.
    Crossref | PubMed
  47. Blanc JJ, De Roy L, Mansourati J, et al., PIPAF investigators, Atrial pacing for prevention of atrial fibrillation: assessment of simultaneously implemented algorithms, Europace, 2004; 6:371–9.
    Crossref | PubMed
  48. Gold MR, Adler S, Fauchier L, et al., SAFARI Investigators. Impact of atrial prevention pacing on atrial fibrillation burden: primary results of the Study of Atrial Fibrillation Reduction (SAFARI) trial, Heart Rhythm, 2009;6:295–301.
    Crossref | PubMed
  49. Sweeney MO, Hellkamp AS, Ellenbogen KA, et al., MOde Selection Trial (MOST) Investigators, Adverse effect of ventricular pacing on heart failure and atrial fibrillation among patients with normal baseline QRS duration in a clinical trial of pacemaker therapy for sinus node dysfunction, Circulation, 2003;107:2932–7.
    Crossref | PubMed
  50. Wilkoff BL, Kudenchuk PJ, Buxton AE, et al., DAVID II Investigators, The DAVID (Dual Chamber and VVI Implantable Defibrillator) II trial, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009;53:872–80.
    Crossref | PubMed
  51. Whellan DJ, Ousdigian KT, Al-Khatib SM, et al., PARTNERS Study Investigators, Combined heart failure device diagnostics identify patients at higher risk of subsequent heart failure hospitalizations, J Am Coll Cardiol, 2010;55:1811–3.
    Crossref | PubMed
  52. Saxon LA, Boehmer JP, Neuman S, Mullin CM, Remote Active Monitoring in Patients with Heart Failure (RAPID-RF): design and rationale, J Card Fail, 2007;13:241–6.
    Crossref | PubMed
  53. Ritzema J, Troughton R, Melton I, et al., Hemodynamically Guided Home Self-Therapy in Severe Heart Failure Patients (HOMEOSTASIS) Study Group, Physician-directed patient self-management of left atrial pressure in advanced chronic heart failure, Circulation, 2010;121:1086–95.
    Crossref | PubMed
  54. Abraham WT, Adamson PB, Bourge RC, et al., CHAMPION Trial Study Group, Wireless pulmonary artery haemodynamic monitoring in chronic heart failure: a randomised controlled trial, Lancet, 2011;377:658–66.
    Crossref | PubMed
Previous Volume Article Next Volume Article