Electronic control of ventricular tachyarrhythmias: overview and future directions.

Although pacing techniques for the termination of ventricular tachycardia are successful in some patients, the widespread use of these devices has not been possible until the recent availability of high energy (25 J) automatic defibrillators. The implantable defibrillator will serve both as a primary means of arrhythmia termination and as backup device to treat pacer mediated acceleration of ventricular tachycardia. The subsequent mortality of patients with ventricular tachycardia and/or fibrillation should diminish considerably.