The role of the Wearable Cardiac Defibrillator (WCD) in protecting ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) who are not immediate candidates for the implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD)

ConclusionPatients who are at risk for SCA are patients who have had a cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) or sustained ventricular tachycardia (SVT), those with familial or inherited condition with sudden cardiac arrest risk, myocardial infarction with an ejection fraction (EF) of less than or equal to 35%, dilated cardiomyopathy (including NICM), with an EF of less than or equal to 35%, ICD explanations, and other conditions with high risk of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or VF are candidates for the WCD.The sample of data was from 186 patients. However, more patients were likely candidates but may not have been considered due to lack of awareness or provider preference of the WCD. Of those patients, four received a living saving shock from the WCD. Two were ICM and two were NICM. Of the sample population, there was a much smaller group of woman than men protected with the WCD.Recognizing at risk patients for SCA can be challenging. There is considerable controversy regarding the use of the WCD in the short term for cardiomyopathy patients. The use of the WCD has shown to be lifesaving in both the ICM and NICM patients in protecting them from SCA. However, the risk assessment among patients with NICM is less straightforward that's for patients with ICM. The WCD is a therapeutic option, listed along with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), in the ACC/AHA/ESC Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention o...
Source: Heart and Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research