[Efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator for treating patients with chronic heart disease].
OBJECTIVE
To observed the clinical efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) in selected patients with chronic heart failure one year after implantation.


METHODS
Seventeen patients with drug-refractory heart failure received CRT-D implantation (6 patients were implanted with InSync Sentry). The underlying heart diseases were dilated cardiomyopathy in 12 patients and ischemic heart disease in 5 patients. There were 13 patients with a history of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation.


RESULTS
CRT-D were successfully implanted in all patients without complication. The mean left ventricular pacing threshold was 1.6 V. The defibrillation threshold was no more than 20 J. During a mean follow-up of 13 months, no death occurred and LV function was improved. The shock induced by ventricular tachycardia was delivered in 5 patients and alarming due to heart failure occurred twice in 1 patient.


CONCLUSIONS
The implantation of CRT-D for treating refractory heart failure patients is feasible and safe. The application of CRT-D was associated with an improved cardiac function and a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.
Hua
Wei
W
Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, Fu Wai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100037, China.
Zhang
Shu
S
Wang
Fang-Zheng
FZ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial