Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are effective in the prevention of arrhythmic sudden cardiac death. Many patients receiving an ICD are affected by heart failure and are at risk of ventricular arrhythmias, which may lead to appropriate shocks. On the other hand, in this population the incidence of atrial fibrillation, giving rise to inappropriate ICD shocks, is high. Accordingly, ICD discharges occur frequently and many patients with an ICD will need concomitant antiarrhythmic drug therapy to avoid or reduce the frequency of shocks. Therapeutic agents such as β-blockers, class I or class III antiarrhythmic drugs effectively suppress arrhythmias, but may have side-effects. Some drugs could eventually influence the function of ICDs by altering defibrillation or pacing threshold. Few prospective randomised trials are available, but current data suggest that amiodarone is most effective for prevention of appropriate or inappropriate ICD shocks. This review article summarises current knowledge regarding the antiarrhythmic management of patients with ICDs.
Keywords: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator; antiarrhythmic drugs; atrial fibrillation; autonomic tone; defibrillation threshold; pacing threshold; pharmacological management; resuscitation; sudden cardiac death; ventricular fibrillation.