Mayo Clinic Study Finds Transvenous Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators May Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death in Young People

Wednesday, March 13, 2002

ROCHESTER, MINN. — A Mayo Clinic study that evaluated the use of transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in young people found the devices were effective in stopping potential life-threatening arrhythmias and appeared to play a critical role in preventing sudden cardiac death.

The study, which appears in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, looked at patient records of 16 adolescents and young adults and found that 44 percent of the patients had already received potentially life-saving therapy from their device. Importantly, two-thirds of the young patients implanted because of a history of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (i.e. secondary prevention) received appropriate therapies from their device.

Researchers said that the use of the defibrillator device among young people has been limited. But with the advent of newer lead systems, a less-invasive surgical procedure and a smaller defibrillator device, more young people are receiving the devices.

"The transvenous approach for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators placement is safe and effective in properly chosen young patients," said Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist and the senior author of the study. "Even though these technological advancements have increased the applicability of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators to the pediatric population, there is limited knowledge regarding not only the procedural risks and complications but also the indications and benefits of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in this population."

The study's authors recommend further study in this area.

In the study, researchers analyzed records of 16 young patients who underwent transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators between March 1992 and September 2000 at Mayo Clinic. There were no deaths. In their analysis, the researchers found that 44 percent received appropriate therapy, including two-thirds who had implantable cardioverter-defibrillators placed for secondary prevention.

Primary prevention was defined as the placement of the device if a patient had a risk factor such as family history of sudden cardiac death. Secondary prevention was defined as a placement of the device for patients who had experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest or a sustained ventricular arrhythmia.

Contact:
Sara Bakken 507-284-5005 (days)
507-284-2511 (evenings)
email: newsbureau@mayo.edu

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