Arrhythmia Management in the Elderly—Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillators and Prevention of Sudden Death

We present an overview of arrhythmia management in elderly patients as it pertains to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy and prevention of sudden death. Treatment of arrhythmia in elderly patients is fraught with challenges pertaining to goals of care and patient frailty. With an ever increasing amount of technology available, realistic expectations of therapy need to balance quality and quantity of life. The ICD is an important treatment option for selected patients at risk of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. However, the incidence of sudden death as a percentage of all-cause mortality decreases with age. Studies have reported that 20% of elderly patients might die within 1 year of an episode of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, but most because of nonarrhythmic causes. This illustrates the 'sudden cardiac death paradox,' with a great proportion of death in elderly patients, even those at risk for ventricular arrhythmias, attributable to medical conditions that cannot be addressed by an ICD. We discuss current practices in ICD therapy in elderly patients, existing evidence from registries and clinical trials, approaches to risk stratification, and important ethical considerations. Although the decision on whether ICD insertion is appropriate in the elderly population remains an area of uncertainty from an evidence-based and ethical perspective, we offer insight on potential clinical and research strategies for this growing population.