Despite therapeutic advances, the mortality rate associated with @entity712 remains as high as 20% per year. Among @entity1 with severe @entity1002 , more than 60% of deaths result from @entity1165 or @entity955 , 20% from @entity1168 (including advanced @entity616 or @entity1167 ), and 20% from terminal ventricular pump failure. @entity943 and @entity944 result from an interaction between a trigger and a substrate with neurohumoral factors (enhanced activity of the adrenergic and @entity916 -angiotensin systems, electrolyte disturbances, etc.). @entity1002 result in complex electrophysiological changes, but those mainly responsible for @entity943 are conduction slowing, changes in the refractory period, inhomogeneous activation and repolarization, and abnormal automaticity. It is important but difficult to identify those @entity1 most at risk. According to current guidelines, most @entity1 with @entity1002 (left ventricular ejection fraction below 35%) and symptomatic @entity712 may qualify for prophylactic @entity737 ( @entity737 ), which have been shown to reduce the risk of @entity1164 by 26% in randomized trials. The challenge is now to better identify and select @entity1 who will benefit from implanted devices and resynchronization therapy. We review the literature and report our personal experience of the prognostic value of various Holter--ECG parameters providing information on the autonomic nervous system (sinus variability, baroreflex sensitivity), repolarization dynamics ( @entity1162 , T alternance, ventricular late potentials) and the results of programmed ventricular stimulation. Combining electrocardiographic stratification with etiologic and clinical information may help to select the best candidates for defibrillator implantation and resynchronization. These devices, combined with optimal pharmacologic treatment, have been shown to reduce overall mortality and @entity944 in recent multicenter randomized controlled trials.

[ @entity943 , @entity944 and XXXX ].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity1164 :: ('MESH:D016757', 'Disease') :: ['sudden cardiac death'] @entity712 :: ('MESH:D006333', 'Disease') :: ['congestive heart failure', 'heart failure'] @entity1165 :: ('MESH:D017180', 'Disease') :: ['ventricular tachycardia'] @entity944 :: ('MESH:D003645', 'Disease') :: ['sudden death'] @entity616 :: ('MESH:D006327', 'Disease') :: ['atrio-ventricular block'] @entity737 :: ('MESH:D057873', 'Disease') :: ['ICD', 'implantation of cardioverter defibrillators'] @entity955 :: ('MESH:D001281', 'Disease') :: ['fibrillation'] @entity1167 :: ('MESH:D006323', 'Disease') :: ['asystole'] @entity916 :: ('5972', 'Gene') :: ['renin'] @entity1162 :: ('MESH:D008133', 'Disease') :: ['QT dispersion'] @entity943 :: ('MESH:D001145', 'Disease') :: ['Ventricular arrhythmias', 'arrhythmias'] @entity1168 :: ('MESH:D001919', 'Disease') :: ['bradyarrhythmias'] @entity1002 :: ('MESH:D018487', 'Disease') :: ['Left ventricular structural lesions', 'left ventricular dysfunction']
@entity712 :: (MESH:D006333,Disease) :: ['heart failure']
