Shock Reduction Programming and Heart Function Recovery in Japanese Patients Undergoing Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation for Primary Prevention　- A Single-Center Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND

Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) offer prognostic benefit for patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), they remain underused in Japan.

METHODS AND

RESULTS

We analyzed 25 patients who underwent primary prevention ICD implantation. During a median follow-up of 52.6 months, no appropriate shocks occurred, but non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) was frequently observed. Two patients underwent antitachycardia pacing. LVEF improved to >35% in nearly half of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiac resynchronization therapy and pharmacotherapy possibly improved cardiac function. Unnecessary shock delivery programming may have also contributed to the favorable outcomes.