Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death in clinical practice: analysis of the clinical and anamnestic characteristics of patients according to the Kuzbass registry

Abstract

Aim. To study clinical and anamnestic data of patients with implantable cardioverterdefibrillators (ICD) for primary or secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) based on the data from the Kuzbass ICD registry.Methods. Retrospective analysis of demographic, clinical and anamnestic data from the “Kuzbass Registry of Patients with Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator”, which includes 286 patients admitted at the Kuzbass Cardiology Center in 2015–2019, was carried out.Results. The age of patients included in the registry was 59 (53; 66) years, 239 (83.6%) were men; all patients were diagnosed with heart failure. ICD for primary prevention of SCD was prescribed in 171 (63.6%) patients (group 1) and for secondary prevention in 98 (36.4%) patients (group 2). The groups were comparable in age, sex, main nosology (coronary artery disease), left ventricular ejection fraction (31.4 (26; 35) and 30 (10; 68)%, p = 0.389). Compared with the group 2, the group 1 had fewer working patients, higher incidence of heart defects, severe heart failure, higher incidence of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (68.7% versus 44.8%, p = 0.001), and higher rates of revascularization (48, 9% and 31.7%, respectively, p = 0.006). Before ICD implantation for heart failure, 210 (73.4%) patients were receiving renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors, 259 (90.6%) – beta-blockers, 167 (58.4%) – mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. There were no differences in prescribed treatment between the groups. Only 137 (47.9%) patients, 86 (47.3%) patients in the group 1 and 51 (49.0%) patients in the group 2 received triple neurohormonal blockade. Remote monitoring was used only within the framework of research programs.Conclusion. The primary cohort of patients with ICD is the primary SCD prevention group. Regardless of the type of SCD prevention, the underlying disease is coronary artery disease. Current guidelines for optimal drug therapy and myocardial revascularization are not always followed prior to ICD implantation. The creation of registries of patients with ICD is an effective way to identify existing problems in ICD patient selection and to optimize follow-up and treatment.