Author(s)

Irtiza Hasan^1,2*, Muhammad Tofazzal Hossain³, Md. Harun Ur Rashid Bhuiyan⁴

¹Cardiology, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK.
²Internal Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
³Cardiology, Universal Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁴Clinical & Interventional Cardiology, Z.H. Sikder Cardiac Care & Research Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the most debilitating and life-threatening complications of heart failure (HF) which has challenged medical care for long. Current guidelines suggest the use of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) in primary prevention of SCD in both New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II and class III heart failure. This paper critically evaluated the evidence underlying the guideline recommendation. In contrast to recent guidelines, the majority of the intervention trials conducted on the topic till date found a promising role of ICD only in the prevention of SCD in NYHA class II HF. One of the trials which found a significant role of ICD in type III heart failure was underpowered. Thus, further trials are needed to validate the use of ICD in the prevention of SCD in type III HF.

Heart Failure, Sudden Cardiac Death, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, ICD, NYHA, ESC

Hasan, I. , Hossain, M. and Bhuiyan, M. (2016) NYHA Class II or III Heart Failure: Who Will Need an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)?. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 6, 372-381. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2016.610042.