INvestigation on Routine Follow-up in CONgestive HearT FAilure Patients With Remotely Monitored Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) SysTems

INvestigation on Routine Follow-up in CONgestive HearT FAilure Patients With Remotely Monitored ICD SysTems

It's the aim of this study to analyze the benefit of personal patient / physician contacts in heart failure patients with remotely monitored implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) or ICD with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT-D).

The personal follow up (in clinic or phone calls) will be compared to completely automatic remote follow ups.

All patients will receive remote monitoring for automatic daily alarm checks and will undergo in clinic follow ups in 12 months intervals

Inclusion Criteria:

• Indication for implantation (new, boxchange, upgrade) of ICD/ CRT-D
• Written informed consent
• Ejection Fraction <= 35%
• New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I-III
• Age >=18 and <=80 years
• In patient's home environment sufficient infrastructure (analog phone line or sufficient strength of GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) mobile phone network) for running a Merlin@home transmitter is available

Exclusion Criteria:

• Arterio ventricular (AV) Block III / AV Block II Type Mobitz
• Severe renal insufficiency
• Coronary angiology intervention within previous 3 months
• Myocardial infarction within previous month
• Life expectancy < 1 year
• Expected poor data quality / compliance
• Pregnancy
• Patient is already participating to another study with active therapy arm