[Heart failure].
Survival of patients with heart failure has improved over the past decade due to advances in medical therapy. However, sudden cardiac death continues to cause 35 to 65% of death. Ventricular arrhythmias are important causes of sudden cardiac death in patients with heart failure. The risks of antiarrhythmic drugs are increased in patients with heart failure. Therefore, in the absence of a clear indication, antiarrhythmic drug therapy should be avoided. A number of recent randomized trials have provided evidence that beta-adrenergic blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers(ARB) significantly reduces the risk of sudden death in patients with chronic congestive heart failure. For patients who have a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia(VT) or ventricular fibrillation(VF) amiodarone or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator(ICD) should be considered, and these therapy may benefit some high risk patients who have nonsustained VT.
Department of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine.
Masayori
M
Yonezawa
Issei
I
Komuro
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000075202:Contraindications; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000638:Amiodarone