Medical Practice and Reviews

  • Abbreviation: Med. Pract. Rev.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2596
  • DOI: 10.5897/MPR
  • Start Year: 2010
  • Published Articles: 44

Case Report

An under-utilized opportunity: The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD)

Sachin Kumar Amruthlal Jain
  • Sachin Kumar Amruthlal Jain
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Providence Hospital and Medical Center, Southfield, Michigan, USA.
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Alehegn Gelaye
  • Alehegn Gelaye
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Providence Hospital and Medical Center, Southfield, Michigan, USA.
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Timothy R. Larsen
  • Timothy R. Larsen
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Providence Hospital and Medical Center, Southfield, Michigan, USA.
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Shukri David
  • Shukri David
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Providence Hospital and Medical Center, Southfield, Michigan, USA.
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  •  Accepted: 18 December 2012
  •  Published: 31 January 2013

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death is often precipitated by unstable ventricular arrhythmias. These arrhythmias are particularly amendable to defibrillation. The risk of these arrhythmias is highest immediately following an acute myocardial infarction, especially if there is impaired left ventricular function. Many patients with depressed left ventricular function receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for prophylaxis against these lethal arrhythmias. The current guidelines recommend against implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in the early period following myocardial infarction. This is because, given the time, arrhythmia risk typically decreases. The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) can protect these vulnerable patients in the short term when arrhythmia risk is highest. Herein, we present a case of a 69 year old male who suffered a cardiac arrest four days after hospital discharge following an acute myocardial infarction.

 

Key words: Sudden cardiac death (SCD), defibrillation, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD).