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Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy is indicated for patients at risk for sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The most commonly used risk stratification algorithms use left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to determine which patients qualify for ICD therapy, even though LVEF is a better marker of total mortality than ventricular tachyarrhythmias mortality. This review evaluates imaging tools and novel biomarkers proposed for better risk stratifying arrhythmic substrate, thereby identifying optimal ICD therapy candidates.
Sarcoidosis is a chronic multi-system disorder with an unknown etiology that can affect the cardiac tissue, resulting in Cardiac Sarcoidosis (CS). The majority of these CS cases are clinically silent, and when there are symptoms, the symptoms are vague and can have a lot in common with other common cardiac diseases. These symptoms can range from arrhythmias to heart failure. If CS goes undetected, it can lead to detrimental outcomes for patients. Diagnosis depends on timely utilization of imaging modalities and non-invasive testing, while in some cases, it does necessitate biopsy. Early diagnosis and treatment with immunosuppressive agents are crucial, and it is essential that follow-up testing be performed to ensure resolution and remission. This manuscript provides an in-depth review of CS and the current literature regarding CS diagnosis and treatment.
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