Implantable Defibrillator Therapy for the Elderly

The clinical application of ICD devices in the management of patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and cardiac arrest is rapidly expanding and is projected to exceed 50,000 implants annually within the next 5 years. Recent clinical trials have established superior clinical efficacy and safety with the ICD in these conditions as compared to currently available type 1 or type 3 antiarrhythmic drugs. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are common in the elderly and most ICD centers have elderly patients. However, very limited clinical literature exists examining the specific considerations in implementing this therapy in the elderly patient and clinical expectations in this population.