Background: The role of premature ventricular contractions (PVC’s) in predicting sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) is unclear. Remote home monitoring systems enable to monitor patients’ status and their device status after implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Data about ventricular arrhythmias could be obtained via remote monitoring system.
Aim: To assess the relation between PVC’s and VT/VF in 99 consecutive patients, who underwent an ICD implantation in the Rabin Medical Center and were monitored by Biotronik® home monitoring system.
Methods and Results: 99 Patients that underwent ICD or CRT-D implantation were monitored. Patients with evidence of sustained VT/VF at follow up have been identified. We assessed the average number of PVC’s per hour during the 5 days preceding the first VT/VF event. The average number of PVC’s over complete follow up period in patients not having VT/VF episodes was also estimated. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the average number of PVC’s: Group 1 <=100 PVC’s/hour and Group 2 >100 PVC’s per hour. Patients in Group 2 were more likely to experience VT and VF, and received more appropriate shocks (Table).
There were no significant differences in the risk for antitachycardia pacing (ATP) or supraventricular arrhythmia episodes between these two groups.
Conclusion: Based on our results it is possible, that an increased number of PVC’s may be associated with a higher risk for VT or VF episodes requiring ICD therapy.
