Better identification of patients who benefit from implantable cardioverter defibrillators by genotyping the G protein beta3 subunit (GNB3) C825T polymorphism.

Aims: There is a need for better identification of patients at high risk for malignant arrhythmias who would benefit from implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). The purpose of this study was to assess whether the C825T polymorphism in the G-protein beta3 subunit gene, GNB3, might serve as a genetic marker for recurrent ventricular arrhythmias.

Methods And Results: Genotyping was performed in 82 patients with ischemic heart disease treated with an ICD for primary and secondary prevention of cardiac arrhythmias.