The Implantable Defibrillator: From Concept to Clinical Reality (Advances in Cardiology)

The implantable defibrillator has now been used in Europe for more than 10 years and has gained widespread acceptance. With the advent of nonthoracotomy systems, implantation has become a standard procedure from the surgical point of view. While these sophisticated devices now provide telemetry, antitachycardia pacing (ATP) and biphasic shocks, follow-up can be more complicated. This book provides a concise review of the current indications for implantable defibrillators and the potential developments in this field. It includes a brief historical overview of how transvenous, small defibrillators have become the standard of antiarrhythmic therapy in survivors of sudden death, patients with ventricular tachycardia and those at risk for such life-threatening events. Several chapters presenting technical information on sensing, defibrillation threshold testing and implantation are followed by an overview of the clinical results available to date. Special attention is given to follow-up, with emphasis on the prevention of complications and the need for additional therapy. The interpretation of arrhythmias after implantation and the role of psychological support also receive detailed consideration. Primarily intended for practicing cardiologists, this book will also be appreciated by anaesthesiologists, cardiac surgeons, emergency physicians, nurses and technicians who wish to understand modern antiarrhythmic therapy.