The AHA Guidelines and Scientific Statements Handbook

Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden

Cardiac Death

A. John Camm and Douglas P. Zipes

17

Organization of committee and evidence review

Recommendations by various organizations for the

management of patients with ventricular

arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac

death

Noninvasive evaluation

Resting electrocardiogram

Exercise testing

Ambulatory electrocardiography

Electrocardiographic techniques and measurements

Left ventricular function and imaging

Electrophysiological testing

Electrophysiological testing in patients with syncope

Ablation

Acute management of specifi c arrhythmias

Management of cardiac arrest

Ventricular tachycardia associated with low troponin

myocardial infarction

Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia

Repetitive monomorphic ventricular tachycardia

Polymorphic VT

Torsades de pointes

Incessant ventricular tachycardia

Ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death

related to specifi c pathology

Left ventricular dysfunction due to prior myocardial

infarction

Valvular heart disease

Congenital heart disease

Myocarditis, rheumatic disease, and endocarditis

Infi ltrative cardiomyopathies

Endocrine disorders and diabetes

End-stage renal failure

Obesity, dieting, and anorexia

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Transient arrhythmias of reversible cause

Ventricular arrhythmias associated with

cardiomyopathies

Dilated cardiomyopathy (nonischemic)

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Neuromuscular disorders

Heart failure

Genetic arrhythmia syndromes

Long QT syndrome

Brugada syndrome

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular

tachycardia

Arrhythmias in structurally normal hearts

Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia

Electrolyte disturbances

Alcohol

Smoking

Lipids

Ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death

related to specifi c populations

Athletes

Gender and pregnancy

Elderly patients

Pediatric patients

Patients with implantable cardioverter–defi brillators

Digitalis toxicity

Drug-induced long QT syndrome

Sodium channel blocker-related toxicity

Other drug-induced toxicity

Ongoing trials and future directions

Organization of committee and evidence

review

This guideline was produced under the auspices of

the American Heart Association, the American

College of Cardiology and the European Society of

Cardiology. The Heart Rhythm Society and the

European Heart Rhythm Association also provided

writing committee members. The Guideline was

The AHA Guidelines and Scientific Statements Handbook
Edited by Valentin Fuster © 2009 American Heart Association
ISBN: 978-1-405-18463-2