[The current status of the prevention and treatment of sudden death].

Sudden cardiac death is a major medical problem. The techniques to identify high risk patients have a limited value. Only betablockers, and perhaps amiodarone, are useful for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Prospective studies being carried out today with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, will show us if these are the best way of treatment (secondary prevention) of sudden cardiac death.