[Prevention of sudden death in patients awaiting heart transplantation]

Sudden death, unexpectedly alters outcome in many patients awaiting heart transplantation. The prevention of sudden death in these patients has been the focus of intensive research to achieve a larger number of patients who finally receive transplants. Recent advances in the medical treatment of heart failure, have reduced mortality and in particular, that caused by sudden death. Nonetheless sudden death remains a frequent cause of mortality in patients awaiting cardiac transplantation. The recognition of patients at very high risk for sudden death is relatively easy, but most patients who suffer sudden death while awaiting cardiac transplantation, are not among those initially included in the overall high risk category. The betablockers, when patients are able to use them, can reduce sudden and total mortality. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs should not be used in patients with cardiac failure. Amiodarone does not increase mortality and may have a beneficial effect in some patients, but its efficacy is lower than that of the implantable defibrillator and its widespread use is not justified. The implantable defibrilator is the reference treatment to reduce sudden death in selected patients, awaiting transplantation.