Chapters authored
Clinical Indications for Therapeutic Cardiac Devices
Both technology and clinical indications have changed since the first cardiac devices. Choosing the right therapy, or abstaining from it, is the key to good clinical management. Pacemakers effectively reduce symptoms of bradycardia, prevent syncope in patients with sick sinus syndrome, and reduce mortality in high-degree atrioventricular block. Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves symptoms and survival in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and ventricular dyssynchrony. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators terminate life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and are indicated for the prevention of sudden cardiac death, either as secondary prevention in survivors of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia with hemodynamic compromise or as primary prevention due to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction or other miscellaneous diseases. More recently, leadless pacemakers and subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators have been developed as alternatives in specific conditions.
Part of the book: Cardiac Pacing and Monitoring