Cardioverter-Defibrillator Reduces Mortality Risk in Patients with Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: Study

Cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle enlarges or thickens, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively. This can lead to heart failure and an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICDs) are implantable devices that can monitor the heart's rhythm and deliver an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm if needed.

The Improve SCA study was a prospective, non-randomized, non-blinded, multicenter trial. The study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of a cardioverter-defibrillator in reducing the risk of SCA in patients with cardiomyopathy. The study included ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients who were eligible for an ICD.

The Study revealed the key clinical findings:

1. The sub-analysis of the study found that patients who received an ICD had a significantly lower risk of mortality than those who did not receive one.
2. The mortality risk reduction was similar in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
3. The all-cause mortality rate at 3 years was lower in patients who received an ICD/CRT-D than those who did not.
4. The mortality rate was 13.1% in NICM patients with a device and 18.3% in those without a device.
5. In ICM patients, the mortality rate was 13.8% in those with a device and 19.9% in those without a device.

The study's lead author, Dr. Balbir Singh, said: "Our study provides further evidence of the benefits of ICDs in reducing mortality risk in patients with cardiomyopathy. This is an important finding because it suggests that more cardiomyopathy patients could benefit from an ICD."

The sub-analysis of the Improve SCA study provides important new insights into the effectiveness of ICDs in reducing mortality risk in patients with cardiomyopathy. The study findings could help improve patient outcomes and inform clinical practice.

Reference:

B. Singh, Y.-C. Hsieh, Y.-B. Liu et al., Cardioverter-defibrillator reduces mortality risk in eligible ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients: Sub-analysis of the multi-center Improve SCA study, Indian Heart Journal, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ihj.2023.01.010