Detecting deceased patients on cardiac device remote monitoring: A case series and management guide for cardiac device services

BACKGROUND Remote monitoring (RM) of implantable cardiac devices provides substantial and complex information, presenting new challenges such as detection of a patient's death. OBJECTIVE This study aims to describe RM transmissions indicating death and propose a management strategy for services. METHODS The study included consecutive ambulatory outpatients whose deaths were detected via RM. Clinical and device data were collected from electronic records, and ethical approval was obtained from the service's institutional review board. RESULTS Over a 9-year period (2014-2023), 28 patients were detected. The deceased patients had implantable cardioverterdefibrillators, pacemakers, and implantable loop recorders. In 54% of the cases, the patient's death had already been recognized. Alert transmissions indicating death were commonly related to ventricular arrhythmia events, but also due to lead measurements, and implantable loop recorder battery status. Several diagnostic features may indicate a patient's death. The most reliable was the presenting electrogram, demonstrating base rate pacing with no capture. Device diagnostics, lead parameters, and arrhythmia recordings may indicate death; however, not all cases present with recordings and diagnosis may not be conclusive. A majority (82%) had ventricular arrhythmia at the time of death. In cases where defibrillator shocks were delivered, the arrhythmia reinitiated shortly after successful cardioversion. Delayed therapy was observed, and some patients did not receive defibrillator shocks because of discriminators or because the arrhythmia rate fell below the shock zone. CONCLUSION Detecting a patient death via RM presents unique challenges and considerations for services. Standard operational policies and legal consultation should be established to address the implications.