Commentary on the American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Disorders

摘要

On May 15, 2008, The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities were published online. Subsequently, the guidelines were concurrently published in the. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation, and Heart Rhythm. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Focusing on 3 areas-pacemakers for bradyarrhythmias and heart failure management, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)-these guidelines update the previous version published in 2002. The guidelines are comprehensive, and the reader is referred to appropriate sections for recommendations related to specific clinical presentations. This commentary will 1) provide a brief summary of several key recommendations, highlighting notable changes in the guidelines and their relevance to surgical practice, and 2) summarize the section on surgical considerations for device-based therapy.