The current status of interventions aiming at reducing sudden cardiac death in dialysis patients

Abstract

Mortality in dialysis patients isextremely high, with an annual death rate of ∼23. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the single largest cause of death in dialysis patients accounting for ∼60 of all cardiac deaths and 25 of all-cause mortality. Interventions aiming at reducing cardiovascular mortality, especially SCD, in dialysis patients are therefore extremely important and clinically highly relevant. The purpose of this review is to give an outline of the epidemiology of SCD in dialysis patients and to provide a comprehensive overview of several interventional strategies (medical therapies, changing dialysis modality, and revascularization). Furthermore, it will discuss the current knowledge regarding the value of preventive implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation and address future implications of the interventional strategies mentioned.