Wearable cardioverter defibrillator: Bridge or alternative to implantation?

Jeremie Barraud (1) , Jennifer Cautela (1) , Morgane Orabona (1) , Johan Pinto (1) , Olivier Missenard (2, 1) , Marc Laine (1) , Franck Thuny (3, 1) , Franck Paganelli (4, 1) , Laurent Bonello (4, 1) , Michael Peyrol (1)

1 Service de cardiologie [Hôpital Nord - APHM]
2 EuroMov - Euromov
3 URMITE - Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes
4 VRCM - Vascular research center of Marseille

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is effective to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) in selected patients with heart disease known to be at high risk for ventricular arrhythmia. Nevertheless, this invasive and definitive therapy is not indicated in patients with potentially transient or reversible causes of sudden death, or in patients with temporary contra-indication for ICD placement. The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is increasingly used for SCD prevention both in patients awaiting ICD implantation or with an estimated high risk of ventricular arrhythmia though to be transient. We conducted a review of current clinical uses and benefits of the WCD, and described its technical aspects, limitations and perspectives.

Keywords: Primary prevention; Secondary prevention; Sudden cardiac death; Wearable cardioverter/defibrillator; Ventricular arrhythmias

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Human health and pathology; Cardiology and cardiovascular system

Jeremie Barraud, Jennifer Cautela, Morgane Orabona, Johan Pinto, Olivier Missenard, et al.. Wearable cardioverter defibrillator: Bridge or alternative to implantation?. World Journal of Cardiology, 2017, 9 (6), pp.531-538. ⟨10.4330/wjc.v9.i6.531⟩. ⟨hal-01778545⟩