Primary Prevention of Sudden Death With Implantable Defibrillator Therapy in Patients With Cardiac Disease

ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death

“…Placebo-controlled studies or studies that compared ICD with amiodarone are not available, and the role of amiodarone in prevention of SCD is unclear. Amiodarone is unlikely to be superior to the ICD for this purpose, and a comparative study may never be done (716). The ICD is not indicated in the majority of asymptomatic patients with HCM, who will have a relatively benign course.…”

Management of the Patient Who Has Been Resuscitated From Sudden Cardiac Death

“…Nonetheless, the "holy grail" of electrophysiology, the successful primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, has proven elusive. Again, although ICD therapy has proven effective in certain well-defined high-risk subgroups, 29 the majority of sudden death occurs in patients not known to be at high risk. 30 Further advancements in primary prevention will depend on a more complete understanding of the pathophysiology of sudden cardiac death.…”

ACCF/AHA/ACP/HFSA/ISHLT 2010 Clinical Competence Statement on Management of Patients With Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant

“…sudden cardiac death both in primary and secondary prevention settings. [93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102] The HF specialist should be fully familiar with guidelines for selection of appropriate patients for device implantation. 103 An ICD should be considered in a variety of clinical scenarios, and the advanced HF specialist must develop a consistent approach to evaluation of patient candidacy.…”