IMR Press / RCM / Volume 23 / Issue 12 / DOI: 10.31083/j.rcm2312409
Open Access Review
Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease—Beyond the Ejection Fraction
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1 Department of Cardiology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, 5822012 Holon, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel
2 The Adelson School of Health, Ariel University, 4076414 Ariel, Israel
3 Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
*Correspondence: Ilan.Goldenberg@heart.rochester.edu (Ilan Goldenberg)
Academic Editors: Vincenzo Russo, Saverio Muscoli and Giuseppe Mascia
Rev. Cardiovasc. Med. 2022, 23(12), 409; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.rcm2312409
Submitted: 1 June 2022 | Revised: 27 June 2022 | Accepted: 7 July 2022 | Published: 14 December 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sudden Cardiac Death in Special Population)
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with ischemic heart disease remains a leading cause of death. Prediction of who is at risk is based on the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). However, the majority of victims of SCD have a normal EF, and the majority of patients implanted with an implantable cardioverter- defibrillator based on their EF are never treated by their device. Several parameters could allow better prediction of SCD. Several signs on the ECG and Periodic Repolarization Dynamics have been associated with increased risk. Elevated serum biomarkers such as pro-B type natriuretic peptides and serum soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 protein (sST2) are predictive of SCD. On the echocardiogram, global longitudinal strain, speckle tracking and relative wall thickness have been implicated. Programmed ventricular stimulation studies and cardiac magnetic resonance are promising modalities that could be further investigated. In conclusion, the EF is an imperfect tool for predicting SCD. Using the modalities reviewed, a model could be created for better prediction of patients at risk.

Keywords
sudden cardiac death
ischemic heart disease
risk stratification
electrocardiography
biomarkers
echocardiography
programmed ventricular stimulation
cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
Funding
Boston Scientific to the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Figures
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