[ICD in elderly patients]

Clinical electrophysiology of the aging heart

INTRODUCTION

Advancements in medical and consumer-grade technologies have made it easier than ever to monitor a patient's heart rhythm and to diagnose arrhythmias. Octogenarians with symptomatic arrhythmias have unique management challenges due to their frailty, complex drug interactions, cognitive impairment, and competing comorbidities. The management decisions are further complicated by the lack of randomized evidence to guide treatment.

AREAS COVERED

A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to outline various tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias and their management, the role of cardiac implantable electronic devices, cardiac ablations, and specific geriatric arrhythmia considerations as recommended in international guidelines.

EXPERT OPINION

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is arguably the most important arrhythmia in the elderly and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of AF, potentially with smart devices (wearables), has the potential to reduce the incidence of stroke, systemic emboli, and the risk of dementia. Bradyarrhythmias have a high incidence in the elderly as well, often requiring implantation of a permanent pacemaker. Leadless pacemakers implanted directly into the right ventricle are great options for gaining traction in elderly patients.

Therapie mit kardialen implantierbaren elektrischen Devices im Alter

Die Therapie mit Herzschrittmacher, implantierbarem Kardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) oder kardialer Resynchronisation (CRT) ist bei Patienten im Alter besonders oft indiziert und hilfreich, stellt jedoch besondere Anforderungen an Indikationsstellung, Systemwahl, Implantation und Nachsorge. In der Schrittmachertherapie muss Einfühlungsvermögen angewandt werden, um eine oft unspezifische Symptomatik mit einer Bradykardie zu assoziieren. In der ICD-Therapie muss berücksichtigt werden, ob bei hohem Alter und Komorbidität eine Lebensverlängerung durch den ICD möglich und vom Patienten gewünscht ist. Bevor die Akutsituation nicht arrhythmischen Sterbens eintritt, sollte eine Deaktivierung der Schocktherapie erfolgen. Bei hohem Alter muss eine Implantation sicher und zügig durchgeführt, aber immer das optimale System (z. B. CRT) und eine optimale Elektrodenposition verwendet werden, da gerade alte Patienten sehr empfindlich auf eine suboptimale Hämodynamik reagieren.

Single chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator compared to dual chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator: less is more! Data from the German Device Registry

BACKGROUND

In patients with high risk for sudden cardiac death the implantation of a defibrillator is an established treatment. However the benefits and risks for patients in accordance to the number of the leads are not clear. Even in the current guidelines a recommendation to this question is missing. We analyzed advantage and disadvantages of single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (VVI-ICD) versus dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (DDD-ICD) in the prospective German Device Registry.

METHODS

The data of 2240 patients who underwent ICD implantation in 45 German Centers between January 2007 and March 2011 were included in a prospective device registry (VVI: n = 1629, male = 1358, EF = 34% ± 13%; DDD: n = 611, male = 491, EF = 35% ± 14%).

RESULTS

The in-hospital complications were significantly higher in the DDD-ICD group with higher revision/device complication rates (3.0% vs. 1.2%; p = 0.003) but also higher mortality rate (1.0% vs. 0.1%; p < 0.001). Regarding the adjusted data at 1-year follow-up DDD-ICD caused more device revisions, but no difference in rehospitalization and mortality.

CONCLUSION

It is still unclear whether DDD-ICD may be beneficial for patients with preserved sinus and atrioventricular nodal function. Our data show that the decision of the operator to choose a DDD-ICD in these patients must be taken very carefully. By choosing a DDD-ICD the patient is exposed to a significantly higher periprocedural complication rate and higher in-hospital mortality. In absence of relevant bradycardias implantation of a DDD-ICD is not justified.