title: Clinical and psychological impact of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in a community heart failure population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  ICD implantation for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 35%) has increased since the publication of the SCD-HEFT and MADIT-II data. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic ICD use in a community heart failure population and to assess the impact on patient's quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-one ICDs were inserted between the years 2002 and 2006. The mean follow-up from time of insertion was 24 ± 11 months. Eighteen patients (25%) had potentially life-saving therapy. Seven (10%) patients received inappropriate shocks. Complications were encountered in five patients (7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a community heart failure population, prophylactic ICD implantation is associated with a high incidence of life-saving therapy, a low complication rate and a high level of tolerability. These data indicate translation of clinical trial benefits to the general heart failure population.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Unit, Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland. samer_arnous@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arnous
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pyne-Daly
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nawoor
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ledwidge
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000517:prevention & control*