Open AccessRole of noninvasive studies in risk stratification for sudden cardiac death
Author(s) -
Kunavarapu Chandra,
Bloomfield Daniel M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960270404
Subject(s) - medicine , sudden cardiac death , risk stratification , food and drug administration , signal averaged electrocardiogram , intensive care medicine , cardiology , sudden death , risk assessment , electrocardiography , medical emergency , computer security , computer science
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in developing countries. To prevent SCD, it is crucial to have effective tools for identifying patients at risk, given that there are now effective devices and medications that can prevent SCD. Two noninvasive electrocardio‐graphic tools have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are being used clinically for identifying patients at risk for SCD: the signal‐averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) and T‐wave alternans (TWA). This article reviews each of these approaches and includes a discussion of the mechanisms and a summary of the clinical studies published to date.