Sudden death. Evaluation and prevention.
The clinical approach to sudden death involves the assessment of risk in a heterogeneous group of patients via a combination of modalities, both invasive and noninvasive. These include Holter monitoring, assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction, signal-averaged high gain ECG, and cardiac electrophysiology study. The management of these patients requires a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and clinical factors in the individual patient and is based on an approach using antiarrhythmic agents, surgery, catheter ablation techniques, and the AICD. The current trend appears to be more toward nonpharmacologic methods, especially the use of devices.
Chang-Sing
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Division of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
Peter
C T
CT
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012307:Risk Factors
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents