Value of ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring to identify increased risk of sudden death in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure

To examine the predictive value of ventricular arrhythmias onambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring, 211 patientswith left ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure(76% men, age 63±4 years, left ventricular ejection fraction0.26 ± 0.10) were studied. During a follow-up of 21 ±11 months, there were 45 cardiac deaths: 22 were due to progressivepump failure and 23 were sudden. Patients with a low left ventricularejection fraction ( 0.27) and ventricular tachycardia on 24h ECG were at higher risk of dying suddenly and from progressivepump failure (both P<0.0001). Patients who died suddenlywere found to have significantly longer (P=0.003) and faster(P=0.029) ventricular tachycardias on their baseline ambulatoryECG, than survivors. This association was not observed in patientswho died of progressive pump failure. Therefore, low left ventricularejection fraction and ventricular tachycardia on 24 h ECG recordingpredict an increased risk of cardiac mortality. Our resultsalso suggest that longer and faster ventricular tachycardiarecorded by 24 h ECG may identify patients at risk of suddendeath, a finding which has not been described before.