Treatment of Sustained Ventricular Arrhythmias: Which Therapy to Use?

Excerpt

During the last 10 years major advances (1-9) have occurred in pharmacologic, surgical, and electrical therapies for arrhythmias. These advances make each form of therapy an acceptable alternative in many patients with ventricular arrhythmias. Physicians need to know how each form of therapy is instituted and which patients with sustained ventricular arrhythmias are ideally suited for each therapy. In addition, they should understand the benefits, risks, and potential limitations of each therapy to support the patient's participation in the decision making process when more than one treatment option appears appropriate.

Although more than one dozen antiarrhythmic agents have been approved