Cheney- Defibrillator

West Suburban Cardiologists

The following is a message issued by the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology regarding Vice-President Cheney's recent heart procedure. Please note that we do not have any specific details relating to the exact nature or extent of the Vice-President's medical condition.

CHENEY TESTS COULD SHOW HEART RHYTHM DISORDER, ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST GROUP SAYS Natick, Mass, June 29, 2001

The Electrophysiology tests being performed on Vice President Dick Cheney will determine whether the vice president suffers from an abnormal heart rhythm, a condition in which the heart beats too quickly or too slowly, according to the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology.

An abnormal heartbeat, also called an arrhythmia, occurs when there is a malfunction in the heart's built-in electrical system that regulates its beating. Though some arrhythmias are not life threatening, others can lead to cardiac arrest and often, sudden cardiac death. A cardiac arrest is often confused with a myocardial infarction – commonly called a heart attack – in which a blockage in the blood vessels leading to the heart cuts off blood flow and damages the heart tissue. The vice president has suffered four heart attacks in the past and underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 1988.

Cardiac arrest is not a heart attack," said Eric Prystowsky, M.D., Director of the Electrophysiology Laboratory at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, and President of the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (NASPE). NASPE is the largest organization in the world of medical professionals dedicated to the study of cardiac arrhythmias. "Sudden cardiac death typically is due to a rapid rhythm disturbance from the bottom chamber of the heart, which causes minimal blood flow, loss of consciousness, and often death," Dr. Prystowsky said. Though less well known than a heart attack, sudden cardiac death is the single most common cause of death in the United States, affecting some 350,000 Americans each year. If tests determine that the vice president has a specific type of irregular heart beat, he will be a candidate for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a device similar to a pacemaker, which can detect an abnormal heart beat and shock it back into normal rhythm. Clinical trials have shown that ICDs can decrease mortality by 50 percent compared with treatment with drugs. Many Americans – like the vice president – have both coronary artery disease and a heart rhythm disorder. They are at particular risk for sudden cardiac death and may be candidates for ICDs. "I would advise any patient who has had a previous heart attack to at least see a cardiologist to see if they fit into this potentially high risk group," Dr. Prystowsky said. "If an individual has a reduction in heart pumping function and these potentially lethal rhythms are detected, that person should be seen by an electrophysiologist." An electrophysiologist is a cardiologist who specializes in the electrical system of the heart and in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders. "We are the electricians of the heart," Dr. Prystowsky said. Vice President Cheney may be a candidate for what Dr. Prystowsky called "primary prevention of sudden death." He has had previous coronary artery disease with a decrease in the pumping ability of the bottom chambers of the heart with no substantial symptoms from his irregular heart rhythm. "Secondary prevention" is defined as ICD therapy for a person already having suffered a cardiac arrest and who has been resuscitated. The North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology is an organization of physicians, scientists and allied health professionals dedicated to the study and management of cardiac arrhythmias. The mission of the Society is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education and training, and providing leadership toward optimal health care policies and standards. People seeking additional information on heart rhythm disorders and pacing and Electrophysiology can visit the Web site at www.NASPE.org.