Should Sedative Administration Be Recommended as an Antiarrhythmic Therapy to Suppress Ventricular Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Electrical Storm?　- A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND

Electrical storm (ES) is defined as a condition in which ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes requiring electrical shock or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks occur ≥3 times within 24 h. It is a life-threatening condition, and treatment options include antiarrhythmic drugs, sedation, circulatory support, and catheter ablation. Sedation is conventionally performed for repeated electrical shocks; however, evidence for its effectiveness in ES suppression remains limited. This scoping review aimed to assess whether the use of sedatives is beneficial for ES suppression.

METHODS AND

RESULTS

This scoping review followed the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Three online databases were searched to identify studies published from the inception of each database until September 18, 2024. To date, no randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials or observational analytical studies have met the inclusion criteria for the use of sedation in patients with ES.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review underscores the need for high-quality studies to enhance the level of evidence and bridge knowledge gaps, ultimately aiming to shift the care paradigm for patients with ES.