14th International Congress
THE "NEW FRONTIERS"
OF ARRHYTHMIAS 2000

Jan. 29 - Feb. 5, 2000
Marilleva, Trento, Italy

RT-27

Role of baroreflex sensitivity in the identification of post-MI patients candidates to implantable cardioverter defibrillator

Maria Teresa La Rovere, Andrea Mortara, Marco Gnemmi, Peter J. Schwartz*.
Centro Medico Montescano, Fondazione “Salvatore Maugeri” IRCCS, Montescano, *Dipartimento di Cardiologia, Universita di Pavia e Policlinico S. Matteo IRCCS, Pavia, Italy

Abstract

The current approach to the identification of high-risk patients who may benefit of implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator for primary prevention of arrhythmic mortality following myocardial infarction does not include the routine appreciation of baroreflex sensitivity, which is related to the derangement in vagal and sympathetic cardiovascular control. Data are provided showing the primary role of arterial baroreceptors in determining the hemodynamic response to ventricular tachyarrhythmias and data showing that the information obtained by the analysis of baroreflex sensitivity significantly add to the information obtained by well recognised measures of cardiovascular outcome such as left ventricular ejection fraction and ventricular arrhythmias.

Key Words