ICD surgery: highlighting the psychological consequences

Abstract

C oronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common clinical condition associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD), with approximately 80% of such deaths linked to CHD (Chugh et al, 2008). CHD can lead to ventricular tachycardia (VT) (an abnormally fast heart rhythm originating in one of the ventricles), and ventricular fibrillation (VF) (an uncoordinated and erratic contraction of the heart muscle of the ventricles)-both of these can cause SCD. Patients with cardiomyopathies account for a further 10-15% of cases of SCD; there is significant overlap between this group and patients with CHD. The remaining 5-10% of SCDs are associated with other disorders, which are either structurally abnormal congenital cardiac conditions or structurally normal, but electrically abnormal, heart conditions (Chugh et al, 2008). In more than 30% of SCDs, however, patients have no previous diagnosis of heart disease (Myerburg and Junttila, 2012). Primary and secondary prevention of SCD An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) can terminate episodes of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, so reduce the risk of sudden death in patients with a range of cardiac conditions.