American Heart Association: June 2018
Wearable Defibrillators May Be an Alternative to Surgically Implanted Device for Children With Certain Heart Rhythm Disorders
The American Heart Association offers a summary of a recent study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, showing the LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is safe and effective in children with ventricular heart rhythm disorders that put them at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD).
The study’s principal investigator, David Spar, M.D. concluded, “our results, which stem from the largest study to date among children in the United States using wearable cardioverter defibrillators, suggest that these external devices can help save the lives of children who are at the time, not good candidates for surgically implanted defibrillators because of their medical condition.” Dr. Spar is the assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and a pediatric electrophysiologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved WCDs for use in pediatric patients in 2015. This study adds to the expansive body of clinical evidence that supports the safety and efficacy of the WCD for prevention of SCD.