Should the implantable cardiac defibrillator be used for primary prevention of sudden death?
A review of the issues relevant to hospital decision making M Mcgregor, J Chen BACKGROUND: New evidence suggests that the implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) may be effective for primary prevention of sudden death. High instrumental cost and the potentially large number of candidates will significantly impact hospital budgets. OBJECTIVE: To review the information relevant to hospital policy decisions on the use of ICDs for primary prevention.
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