Russian Society of Cardiology (RSC).With the participation of Russian Scientific Society of Clinical Electrophysiology, Arrhythmology and Cardiac Pacing, Russian Association of Pediatric Cardiologists, Society for Holter Monitoring and Noninvasive Electrocardiology.Approved by the Scientific and Practical Council of the Russian Ministry of Health.

The article covers the development of the problem of sudden cardiac death prevention with the implantable cardioverter­defibrillators from the moment of creation of these devices to our days. The current concept of primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, based on the severity of manifestation of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, is not effective enough. Its practical application is difficult because it requires mass application of implantable defibrillators, with low predictive accuracy of these criteria in terms of development of life­threatening arrhythmias. The development of methods for visualizing the myocardium, allowing to assess the severity of myocardial fibrosis, as well as the possibilities of medical genetics, at the present stage, allows us to clarify indications for implantation of cardioverter­defibrillators and thereby significantly improve the concept of preventing sudden cardiac death with these instruments.

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Endorsed by: Research and Practical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

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The article provides new insights to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), a method of treating chronic heart failure with cardiac biventricular pacing. The article covers the history of its development starting with the first attempts to eliminate heart dyssynchrony up to the present advances. Over the last decades, CRT has significantly improved, including both implantable devices and electrodes, and current CRT guidelines and indications. The article discusses serial changes in indications and selection criteria for patients based on the results of the recent clinical trials assessing its effectiveness. Evidence-based knowledge is presented for the CRT application in the routine clinical practice. Novel approaches and technologies aimed at improving the effectiveness of CRT are presented.

The article highlights the role of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. It considers the results of multicenter studies comparing the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs and implantable devices in the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death, including that in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy and discusses quality of life in patients with ICDs.