title: The role of the wearable cardioverter defibrillator in clinical practice.
abstract: The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is an option for external monitoring and defibrillation in patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest caused by ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation and who are not candidates for or who refuse an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). WCDs provide monitoring with backup defibrillation protection. WCDs have been used when a patient's condition delays or prohibits ICD implantation, or as a bridge when an indicated ICD must be explanted. WCDs are used for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death during high-risk gap periods early after myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, or new diagnosis of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cardiology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, J2-2, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart & Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. Electronic address: chungm@ccf.org.
authors.forename: Mina K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D032921:Consensus; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D047548:Defibrillators; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Clinical practice; Implantable cardioverter defibrillator; Sudden cardiac arrest; Wearable cardioverter defibrillator