[Prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias].
In patients with heart failure ventricular arrhythmias correlate with the functional class and thus they are a marker of heart disease severity. An "independent" prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias is generally accepted in post-infarction patients, but it is controversial in the presence of other heart diseases. According to the results of the MADIT and MUSTT studies the prognostic significance can be improved in post-infarction patients with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia during an electrophysiologic study aimed to evaluate the inducibility of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias with programmed electrical stimulation: in the "non-inducible" patients the prognosis is better than in "inducible" patients. Thus, we suggest to perform an electrophysiological evaluation in post-infarction patients and in patients with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia.
Vergara
G
G
Divisione di Cardiologia, APSS del Trentino, Ospedale S. Maria del Carmine, Corso Verona 38068 Rovereto, TN. vergara@rov.aziendasanitaria.trentino.it
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013318:Stroke Volume; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents