Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy for Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death after Myocardial Infarction: Implications of International Guidelines

Study Objective: To estimate the proportion of patients eligible for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death after a myocardial infarction (MI), according to the current guidelines. Methods: Eligibility was assessed retrospectively at 6 weeks in 513 post-MI survivors (age 66 +/- 13 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 48.2 +/- 17%) on the basis of an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram. Results: LVEF was <= 40% in 37% and <= 35% in 30%, and QRS duration was <120 ms in 89% and >= 120 ins in 11% of patients. The proportion of post-MI patients meeting the criteria set by guidelines were 37% for 2006 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Associotion/European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ESC) 26.5% for 2008 ACC/AHA/Canadian Heart Rhythm Society 16.3% for 2005 US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and 5.8% for the 2006 United Kingdom (UK) National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). According to 2005 CMS and 2006 UK-NICE guidelines, Holter monitoring was required in 7% and 18%, respectively. For the United States (700,000 MI in 2006), the 2006 ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines equate to 216,783 ICD implantationslyear. For UK (60,499 MI in 2006), the 2006 NICE guidelines equate to 2,941 ICD implantations, 10,488 Holter studies, and 1,065 VT induction tests/year. Conclusions: Current ICD therapy guidelines for primary prevention of SCD post-MI demand a substantial increase in service provision worldwide. (PACE 2009; 32:S131-S134)