Sudden Cardiac Death Expert Workshop Hosted by FCI

Sudden cardiac death is a major cause of mortality in Europe, often occurring without warning and affecting people of all ages, making prevention and early intervention essential.

In a highly productive expert workshop chaired by Thomas M. Helms (Deutsche Stiftung für chronisch Kranke – German Foundation for the Chronically Ill) and Carsten Israel (Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel (EvKB) | Krankenhaus Mara), we explored the current status and developments around sudden cardiac death and cardiac device implantation (e.g. ICD, CRT-D) from the perspectives of Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the UK. The main questions addressed were those of patient selection and the identification of those who would derive the greatest benefit from implantation. It became evident that further research is essential to develop effective approaches for targeted patient stratification and to optimize outcomes.

We thank Gianluca Botto, Frieder Braunschweig, John Morgan, and Martin Stockburger for their valuable contributions and insights. Special thanks also go to Bettina Zippel-Schultz from the German Foundation for the Chronically Ill as well as to Steffen Uffenorde, and Kristan Alliston.

This was a powerful meeting focused on sudden cardiac death, exploring strategies to advance patient care and prevention.