Abstract 18020: Competitive Athletes With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators - How to Program? Data From the ICD Sports Registry

Introduction: Athletes, at risk for sudden cardiac death and who have implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), represent a unique group, for whom, optimal ICD programming remains uncertain. Purpose: To assess the association of ICD programming characteristics with occurrence and outcomes of ICD shocks, syncope, and death in athletes with ICDs. Methods: A subanalysis of a prospective, observational, international registry of 440 athletes with ICDs followed over a median of 44 months was performed in 384 subjects, in whom, programming was documented (detection duration documented in 178). Programming including high (≥200) vs low ( nominal) vs nominal detection duration were analyzed separately. Endpoints included total, appropriate and inappropriate shocks, syncope and mortality. Results: 62% were programmed with high-rate cutoff (38% low). 30% were programmed with long detection times (70% nominal). No athlete died from an arrhythmia related to sports (one arrhythmic deat...