Implantable cardioverter defibrillators for arrhythmias
This is an extract from the guidance and may be misleading if read alone. The complete guidance is available at guidance.nice.org.uk/ta95
Important information about this guidance
Review of Technology Appraisal 11
This guidance replaces 'Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for the treatment of arrhythmias' (NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance 11) issued in September 2000.
The Institute reviews each piece of guidance it issues.
The review and re-appraisal of the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for arrhythmias has resulted in a change in the guidance. The recommendation on the use of ICDs for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) has been expanded to include patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 30% (no worse than class III of the New York Heart Association functional classification of heart failure) and a QRS duration of equal to or more than 120 milliseconds, without the need for electrophysiological testing. It also includes patients who have undergone surgical repair for congenital heart conditions.