The Use of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators for the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Review of the Evidence and Implications

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) claims approximately 460,000 lives per year in the United States, and half of these deaths occur in people with a history of coronary artery disease. Patients with left ventricular dysfunction and a history of myocardial infarction are at especially high risk. There is now...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of the medical sciences 2005-05, Vol.329 (5), p.238-246
Main Authors: Crespo, Eric M., Selzman, Kimberly A., Kim, Jane, Steinhoff, Jeff P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cardiology. Vascular system
Coronary disease
Coronary heart disease
Death sudden, cardiac
Death, Sudden, Cardiac - epidemiology
Death, Sudden, Cardiac - prevention & control
Defibrillators implantable
Defibrillators, Implantable - economics
General aspects
Heart
Humans
Medical sciences
Meta-Analysis as Topic
Myocardial Ischemia - economics
Myocardial Ischemia - epidemiology
Myocardial Ischemia - therapy
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Primary Prevention
Risk Factors
United States - epidemiology
Ventricular dysfunction left
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Sudden cardiac death (SCD) claims approximately 460,000 lives per year in the United States, and half of these deaths occur in people with a history of coronary artery disease. Patients with left ventricular dysfunction and a history of myocardial infarction are at especially high risk. There is now strong evidence from multiple well-designed randomized controlled trials that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) save lives when used for both primary and secondary prevention. As indications for ICD implantation have broadened, considerable debate has taken place because of the substantial cost involved in widespread ICD utilization. This article summarizes the epidemiology of SCD, reviews the evidence supporting the use of ICDs in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, and explores some of the controversy surrounding ICD utilization that has arisen in the wake of recent trials that have utilized ICDs for the primary prevention of SCD.
ISSN:0002-9629
1538-2990
DOI:10.1097/00000441-200505000-00005