An evidence-based approach to primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death, including the use of beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and ICDs, is presented.
What are the evidence-based approaches for the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death?
This review outlines evidence-based strategies, including beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and ICDs, for the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias is a leading cause of death in the United States. Various etiologies, including ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathies, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular or congenital heart diseases and other less common disorders, may result in SCD. Beta blockers are the only class of medications that have been shown to be beneficial in the primary prevention of SCD. However, recently, aldosterone antagonism early after myocardial infarction has also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of SCD. Multiple trials have elaborated on the potential benefits of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) in appropriately selected patients. However, there is still some controversy regarding the optimum period for ICD implantation, and its cost-effectiveness. An evidence-based approach to primary and secondary prevention of SCD is presented. Management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is briefly discussed.
Ali et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Sudden cardiac death. Primary and secondary prevention strategies (Beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, ICDs) was evaluated. An evidence-based approach to primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death, including the use of beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and ICDs, is presented.