Circulation. Heart failure
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Multicenter Study
The efficacy of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in heart transplant recipients: results from a multicenter registry.
Sudden cardiac death among orthotopic heart transplant recipients is an important mechanism of death after cardiac transplantation. The role for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in this population is not well established. This study sought to determine whether ICDs are effective in preventing sudden cardiac death in high-risk heart transplant recipients. ⋯ Use of ICDs after heart transplantation may be appropriate in selected high-risk patients. Further studies are needed to establish an appropriate prevention strategy in this population.