FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lucy McDonald
Brand Resources Group (for the Heart Rhythm Society)
(703) 739-8343
lucy.mcdonald@brandresourcesgroup.com

In light of the study that was released in the New England Journal of Medicine on September 3, 2008 titled Prognostic Importance of Defibrillator Shocks in Patients with Heart Failure, the Heart Rhythm Society would like to reiterate its stance on the importance of Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with life-threatening arrhythmias.

ICDs are 99 percent effective in stopping life-threatening arrhythmias and are the most successful therapy to treat ventricular fibrillation, the major cause of sudden cardiac arrest. However, only 35 percent of patients who could be helped by an ICD have one. ICDs continuously monitor the heart rhythm, automatically function as pacemakers for heart rates that are too slow, and deliver life-saving shocks if a dangerously fast heart rhythm is detected.

It is important to note that while the study shows a link between ICD shocks and patient mortality, patients who received shocks were in worse health prior to the shock than those who were not shocked. The increased mortality rate is related to their overall health condition rather than ICD activity. Patients receive shocks to stop potentially life-threatening heart rhythms, and many recent studies have shown a drastic decrease in the number of inappropriate shocks.

“Like many other studies, the SCD-HeFT trial clearly demonstrates that ICD devices save lives,” said Dr. N.A. Mark Estes, President of the Heart Rhythm Society. “While there is an association between patients who are shocked and an increased mortality, receiving a life-saving shock does not independently predict a patient’s survival rate.”

The Heart Rhythm Society is dedicated to improving the care of patients by promoting research, education and optimal health care policies and standards. The Society strongly supports measures that would improve the health and safety of patients living with these devices.