ORLANDO – , the findings failed to show a statistically significant reduction in sudden death or death from ventricular tachycardia. This suggests better targeting of the device is needed, commented Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, MD, in a video interview at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.
The Vest Prevention of Early Sudden Death Trial (VEST) randomized 2,302 patients within the first 7 days following an acute MI who also had a left ventricular ejection fraction of 35% or less to either 90 days of treatment with a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) or usual care. After a median of 84 days, the results showed no statistically significant reduction from WCD use in the primary endpoint of sudden death or death from ventricular tachyarrhythmias, but a statistically significant reduction in the secondary endpoint of all-cause death: 3.1% in the patients randomized to WCD use and 4.9% among the control patients, reported Jeffrey Olgin, MD, chief of cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco.
The results suggest that a more robust benefit might occur in post-MI, low ejection fraction patients who undergo additional selection based on having frequent premature ventricular contractions and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, suggested Dr. Lakkireddy, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Excellence in AF and Complex Arrhythmias at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.
VEST was sponsored by Zoll, a company that markets a WCD. Dr. Lakkireddy had no relevant disclosures.
mzoler@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @mitchelzoler
Source: Olgin J and Lakkireddy D ACC 18.