Although the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says short- and medium-term efficacy data is adequate to support the insertion of a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator to prevent sudden cardiac death, NICE recommends use of the procedure only if data is collected on clinical outcomes, due to uncertainties in the long-term durability of the devices used, according to an April interventional procedure guidance. The institute also encourages data collection on the efficacy of the procedure for converting spontaneous arrhythmias, the durability of devices used, and the need for device revision or replacement procedures.
A separate NICE guidance already recommends treatment with conventional ICDs for patients with arrhythmias and those at risk for sudden cardiac death. The new document specifically concerns entirely subcutaneous implants,...
