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A New Single Chamber Implantable Defibrillator with Atrial Sensing: A Practical Demonstration of Sensing and Ease of Implantation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Quality of life in the antiarrhythmics versus implantable defibrillators trial: impact of therapy and influence of
Eleanor B Schron1, Derek V Exner, Qing Yao
1Clinical Trials Group, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Md, USA.
Circulation
|February 6, 2002
Summary
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) impact quality of life similarly. Adverse symptoms affected both groups, while ICD shocks reduced quality of life for recipients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Clinical Trials
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality in patients with ventricular arrhythmias.
- The comparative effect of ICDs versus antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) on quality of life (QoL) remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the impact of ICDs and AADs on patient-reported quality of life.
- To investigate factors influencing QoL in patients receiving either therapy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized generic and disease-specific QoL instruments in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators trial.
- Employed generalized linear models to analyze QoL in relation to treatment and adverse events.
- Focused primary analysis on patients surviving 1 year (n=800) to mitigate missing data.
Main Results:
- Overall, ICD and AAD therapies demonstrated similar effects on self-perceived QoL over one year.
- Adverse symptoms were linked to decreased physical functioning and mental well-being in both AAD and ICD groups.
- ICD recipients experiencing sporadic shocks reported reduced physical functioning, mental well-being, and increased concerns.
Conclusions:
- ICD and AAD therapies result in comparable QoL alterations at 1-year follow-up.
- Adverse symptoms negatively impact QoL in both treatment groups.
- Sporadic ICD shocks are associated with a decline in QoL for ICD recipients.
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