Sudden death in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities

“…16,224,333,369 -379 Observational studies suggest that up to 30% of deaths in patients with DCM are sudden. 380 Mortality in medically treated patients with DCM and a prior history of syncope may exceed 30% at 2 years, whereas those treated with an ICD experience a high frequency of appropriate ICD therapy. 16,372,373 CAT (Cardiomyopathy Trial) enrolled patients with recently diagnosed DCM with randomization to medical therapy versus medical therapy with an ICD.…”

ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death

“…The incidence of SCD is highest in patients with indicators of more advanced cardiac disease who are also at highest risk of all cause mortality. Although VT and/or VF is considered the most common mechanism of SCD, bradycardia, pulmonary embolus, electromechanical dissociation and other causes account for up to 50% of SCDs in patients with advanced HF (107,618,619). Risk stratification is difficult in DCM.…”

“…Syncope has been associated with a higher risk of SCD regardless of the proven etiology of the syncope (223,625) and patients with ICD implantation receive appropriate shocks comparable to a secondary prevention cohort (223,625,626). Premature ventricular complexes and NSVT correlate with the severity of cardiac disease and occur in the majority of patients with severe LV dysfunction (619,627,628). This limits the utility of ventricular arrhythmias as risk stratifiers as they would be expected to be sensitive but not specific.…”

Realce Tardio miocárdico por Ressonância Magnética Cardíaca pode identificar risco para Taquicardia Ventricular na Cardiopatia Chagásica Crônica

“…Up to 70% of the patients with CCM have sudden cardiac death (SCD) (annual mortality rate between 0.2% and 19.2%) 1,[3][4][5] . In such patients, recurrence of VT is considered the cause of death [2][3] .…”