TY - JOUR T1 - Survivors of sudden cardiac death: a rational approach to evaluation and therapy of patients surviving ventricular fibrillation JF - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine JO - Cleve Clin J Med SP - 166 LP - 172 VL - 59 IS - 2 AU - Arthur J. Rabinowitz AU - James D. Maloney Y1 - 1992/03/01 UR - http://www.ccjm.org/content/59/2/166.abstract N2 - Survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest that is not associated with acute myocardial infarction are at high risk for subsequent life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. A rational approach to evaluating the underlying disease processes and to formulating a specific treatment plan for these patients is presented. A protocol is suggested whereby existing cardiac conditions are appropriately treated and hemodynamic parameters are optimized. Myocardial ischemia is minimized with drugs or revascularization; this may suffice to prevent recurrence of sudden cardiac death in a small group of patients. For remaining patients at high risk of recurrence, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is the therapy associated with the lowest rate of mortality. ER -