Hannah Valantine

Publication Details

• Use of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in long-term survivors of orthotopic heart transplantation.

  Ptaszek LM, Wang PJ, Hunt SA, Valantine H, Perlroth M, Al-Ahmad A. Heart Rhythm. 2005; 2 (9): 931-3

  Orthotopic heart transplantation is considered an effective treatment for patients with refractory heart failure. The long-term survival of orthotopic heart transplantation recipients has increased over the last several decades, but many long-term survivors of orthotopic heart transplantation develop graft atherosclerosis and associated left ventricular dysfunction. The risk of sudden cardiac death in long-term survivors of orthotopic heart transplantation with these complications is believed to be high. There are no data on the usefulness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in this population; therefore, we report our early experience with ICD placement in such patients.

  PubMedID: 16171746