Overview

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a life-threatening cardiac rhythm disturbance which leads to sudden cardiac death (SCD), ventricular fibrillation, electrical storm, hemodynamic collapse, and syncope. VT patients with cardiomyopathy (diseased/scarred cardiac muscle) have the highest risk of SCD (<1-4%) and recurrent VTs (15-35%). Although an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is the most effective treatment option to prevent SCD, it does not eliminate it. Without VT prevention, recurrent VT and ICD shocks may increase the risk of heart failure and death.

The primary objective is to determine the optimal treatment strategy to maximize event-free survival among cardiomyopathy patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) by the creation of a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal cohort. Also, the investigators will evaluate the epidemiology of VT, adherence to guidelines, safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of current treatment options for secondary prevention of VT in the real-world Canadian VT population.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Documented sustained ventricular arrhythmia (>30 seconds as documented by an ECG, cardiac monitor, AED, and/or intracardiac pacemaker/ICD electrograms (EGMs);
2. First (new) diagnosis of VT;
3. Presence of or plan for ICD implant during index hospitalization;
4. Diagnosis of cardiomyopathy (ie. ICM, hypertrophic, dilated, restrictive, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, or other scar),
5. ICD clinic follow-up planned, and
6. Age >18 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with VT due to a reversible cause