title: [Utilization of implantable ventricular defibrillators (with an analysis of the value of antiarrhythmics in the treatment of potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias].
abstract: During the past 15 years, the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs has been investigated for reducing sudden cardiac death in patients at high risk of arrhythmia. Whereas the benefits of beta-blocker therapy are well established, a reduction in mortality with other antiarrhythmic drugs remains unproved and in some cases, there is evidence of increased mortality with class I and some class III agents. At the same time, the development of the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator has been one of the spectacular achievements in cardiology. It has altered the therapeutic landscape for patients with symptomatic ventricular tachycardia or cardiac arrest. In these patients, the automatic implantable defibrillator is clearly first line therapy, as recognized by the international scientific cardiac societies guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Université de Liège.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waleffe
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000628:therapy; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents