Implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy for patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and severe heart failure

Of 533 patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implants, 40 who had malignant ventricular arrhythmias and functional class IV heart failure (mean age 65 +/- 7 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 0.24 +/- 0.08) were found to have a mean time to the first appropriate ICD therapy to death of 25 +/- 22 months and a mean actuarial survival of 64 +/ - 5 months. Prolonged survival can occur, and appropriate therapy can be de livered, by an ICD in high-risk patients with functional class IV heart fai lure who have malignant ventricular arrhythmias.