Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Isolation and Functional Characterization of Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes from Fresh Surgical Samples
Published on: April 21, 2014
Recurrence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy: evidence-based
Elzbieta Dułak1, Andrzej Lubiński, Andrzej Bissinger
1Department of Cardiology, J. Brudziński Hospital, Gdynia, Poland.
Background:
Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is the most frequent cause of sudden death among patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Aim:
To identify the important VA risk factors in patients with DCM.
Methods And Results:
Eighty-five DCM patients (73 males, mean age 54 years) with DCM and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) were followed for 21+/-19 months after ICD implantation. The mean follow-up was 21 months. Data from 55 patients with VA recorded in the ICD memory and requiring ICD intervention during follow-up were compared with 30 patients without arrhythmia. Cox regression analysis identified the following univariate predictors of VA: alcoholic aetiology of DCM (0.05), diuretic treatment (0.003), history of cardiac arrest (0.03), right ventricular diastolic diameter (0.001). Both ACE inhibitor (ACEI) and statin treatments were associated with a tendency towards decreased risk of VA. Multivariate logistic analysis identified four predictors as significantly related to VA: alcoholic aetiology (HR 4.8, p=0.008), ACEI treatment (HR 0.4, p=0.01), diuretic treatment (HR 2.6, p=0.015), and statin treatment (HR 0.1, p=0.03).
Conclusions:
The majority of patients with DCM and ICD have recurrences of VA. Alcoholic aetiology of DCM is associated with an increase in the incidence of arrhythmias. Treatment with ACEI and statins is associated with a reduction of arrhythmias.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Cardiomyopathy I: Introduction and Classification
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
