Implantable defibrillators and/or amiodarone: alternatives or complementary therapies
Dorian, P.; Newman, D.; Greene, M.
International Journal of Clinical Practice 52(6): 425-428
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 1368-5031 PMID: 9894382 Document Number: 489424
Many patients with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) also receive antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Although an expanding number of patients are receiving ICD therapy, many will not have received previous antiarrhythmic treatment. For patients with an ICD, infrequent arrhythmias and a low probability of inappropriate device discharges, no antiarrhythmic therapy is required. However, for those patients who require an antiarrhythmic drug, amiodarone is a reasonable first choice because of safety in patients with poor LV function. It may be particularly useful for patients with high density ventricular arrhythmias. However, the interactions between ICDs and antiarrhythmic therapy requires close monitoring in order that patient benefit can be optimised, and this review focuses on those interactions.