Key Points
- To assess the incidence and characteristics of malignant ventricular arrhythmias in patients with CIEDs just before death.
- Analyzed data from 296 patients with CIEDs who died outside healthcare facilities and underwent autopsy.
- Evaluated reports from emergency medical services, coroners, and device interrogations.
- Collected data from eight forensic medicine departments.
- Malignant ventricular tachycardia recorded in 124 patients (42% incidence).
- Occurrence was higher in ICD patients (53%) compared to pacemaker patients (39%; p = 0.03).
- For 74% of patients, malignant arrhythmia was likely the primary cause of death.
Structured PICO
PPopulation296 patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) (94 with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators [ICDs] and 202 with pacemakers; mean age 75 ± 12 years; 72% male) who died outside a healthcare facility and underwent autopsy.
OOutcomeIncidence and characteristics of malignant ventricular arrhythmias occurring immediately before death.hard clinical
Malignant ventricular arrhythmias occur in nearly half of CIED patients immediately prior to out-of-hospital death, often serving as the primary cause of sudden death.