Targeted Potassium Levels for Prevention of ICD Therapy

There is solid evidence that potassium‐sparing drugs increase survival and ameliorates symptoms in heart failure patients and post‐hoc studies have suggested that high‐normal levels of blood potassium levels (p‐K) markedly decreases the risk of malignant arrhythmias in cardiovascular patients. This trial will randomize patients implanted with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), who remain at high risk of life‐threatening cardiac arrhythmias, to a standard therapy or standard therapy plus a regimen to keep high‐normal p‐K levels. The study will enroll 1,000 patients from the outpatient pacemaker clinics at Rigshospitalet and Gentofte hospital. Using a planned regime to increase p‐K using inexpensive drugs and potassium supplements, the patients enrolled and followed with regular controls as well as continuous monitoring using existing home monitoring systems over a period of 4 years for the primary endpoint of appropriate ICD therapy and all cause mortality. Including analysis, the trial will be running for 5 years