National registry of implanted Automatic Defibrillators in 1996

The results of the Spanish Registry of Automatic Defibrillators implanted between February 1996 and January 1997 are reported. A questionnaire per patient was completed by every implantating physician, in every center. The questionnaire was designed by the Section of Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias of the Spanish Society of Cardiology. The data from 306 automatic defibrillators implanted were reported. The percentage of defibrillators per inhabitant in Spain is close to 1 per 100,000. Eigthy-five percent were first implants, while a 13% were replacements. Most of the electrodes used were endocardial. Chronic ischemic heart disease was found in 54% of the patients. Forty-six percent of the patients had syncopal ventricular tachycardia, 31% ventricular fibrillation and 23% sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia The generator pocket was pectoral in 87% of the patients and abdominal in 13%. The implant of the defibrillator was associated with other cardiac surgery in only 3% of the patients.