Major gaps in the information provided to patients before implantation of cardioverter defibrillators: a prospective patient European evaluation.

Information provided to patients prior to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion and their participation in the decision-making process are crucial for understanding ICD function and accepting this lifelong therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which different aspects related to ICD and quality of life were transmitted to patients prior to ICD implantation. Prospective, multicenter European study with an online questionnaire initiated by the European Heart Rhythm Association. The questionnaire was filled-in directly and personally by the ICD patients who were invited to participate. A total of 1809 patients (majority in their 40s-70s, with 624 women, 34.5%) from 10 European countries participated in the study. The median time from first ICD implantation was 5 years (interquartile range 2-10). Overall, 1155 patients (71.5%) felt optimally informed at the time of device implantation, however many respondents received no information about ICD-related complications (n = 801, 49.6%), driving restrictions (n = 718, 44.5%), and possibility of end-of-life ICD deactivation (n = 408, 25.4%). Of note, women were less frequently involved in the decision-making process than men (47.3% vs. 55.9%, P = 0.003) and reported to be less often optimally informed before ICD implantation than men (61.2% vs. 76.8%, P < 0.001). More women mentioned the desire to have learned more about ICD therapy and the benefit/risk balance (45.4% vs. 33.7% of men; P < 0.001). This patient-based evaluation provides alarming findings on the lack of information provided to patients prior ICD implantation, particularly for women.

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© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Conflict of interest: Ł.J. has received speaker/consultant fees from Biotronik, Medtronic. E.M. has served as a consultant for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott, and Zoll. Research grants from Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, Biotronik, and Microport. M.M.F. has received speaker/proctoring fees from Abbott Medical Poland and Medtronic Poland. G.C. has received research grants from the Swiss National Foundation and research grants and speaker fees from Boston Scientific. S.B. has served as consultant for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Microport, and Zoll. All the other authors have no conflict of interest to declare.