Implantable cardioverter defibrillator for prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation: ICD therapy in sudden cardiac death.

Among the various therapy options for survivors of ventricular tachycardia-ventricular fibrillation (VT-VF), the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) seems most promising. It reliably terminates VT-VF and thus significantly impacts sudden cardiac death (SCD) survival. It is more effective than any of the known antiarrhythmic drugs in prevention of SCD, particularly among survivors of cardiac arrest. Compared to VT surgery, the ICD therapy can be offered to a larger pool of patients and can be placed at a lower surgical risk. With proper patient selection, ICD therapy is of major benefits to its recipients since it markedly reduces the chances of VT-VF related mortality; the main cause of premature death in this population. The ICD therapy is cost effective when compared to other medical interventions and could be more so if the implant is carried out early in the course of VT-VF management.