The Prognostic Role of Programmed Ventricular Stimulation in the Risk Stratification of Sudden Cardiac Death

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular death in general population. SCD primary prevention requires the correct selection of patients at increased risk who may benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Despite several non-invasive arrhythmic risk indexes are available, their ability to stratify the SCD risk among asymptomatic patients with cardiac disease at increased arrhythmic risk is debated. The programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) is an invasive approach historically used for SCD risk stratification in patients with acquired or inherited cardiac disease and is currently included in international guidelines. Aim of this review is to summarize all available data about the role of PVS for the SCD risk stratification in different clinical settings.