The implantable defibrillator in ventricular arrhythmias.
The most common cause of sudden cardiac death appears to be electrical instability that culminates in ventricular fibrillation. The implantable defibrillator, a self-contained diagnostic-therapeutic system, provides automatic detection and correction of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Principles involved in its development are reviewed, as are initial clinical results.
D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000628:therapy; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*