SMS: Substrate Modification Study in Patients Getting an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)

Inclusion Criteria:

• Coronary artery disease documented by coronary angiography. For the purpose of this study, coronary artery disease will be defined as the presence of a 50% or more diameter stenosis of the left main or of a 75% or more diameter stenosis of the left anterior descending, circumflex or right coronary arteries, or the history of a surgical or percutaneous revascularization procedure.
• Left ventricular ejection fraction < 40% as estimated by echocardiography or contrast ventriculography within the previous 30 days.

• Clinical unstable VT without reversible factors (acute ischemia or antiarrhythmic medications as defined below). Unstable VT can have one of the following clinical presentations:

  • Hypotensive VT without major neurologic dysfunction;
  • Syncope; or
  • Cardiac arrest.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age < 18 years or > 80 years
• Protruding left ventricular (LV) thrombus on pre-ablation echocardiogram
• Acute myocardial infarction within the preceding 2 months
• Class IV New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure
• Valvular heart disease or mechanical heart valve precluding access to the left ventricle
• Unstable angina
• Cardiac surgery within the past 2 months
• Serum creatinine > 220 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL)
• Thrombocytopenia or coagulopathy
• Contraindication to heparin
• Pregnancy
• Acute illness or active systemic infection
• Other disease process likely to limit survival to less than 12 months
• Significant medical problem that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would preclude enrollment into the study
• Participation in another investigational study
• Unwillingness to participate or lack of availability for follow-up