Do implantable cardioverter-defibrillators prevent sudden death in high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Implantable defibrillators are highly effective in terminating ventricular arrhythmias, supporting their role in the primary and secondary prevention of sudden death in high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation appears to be the principal mechanism of sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, implantable defibrillators are highly effective in terminating such arrhythmias, indicating that these devices have a role in the primary and secondary prevention of sudden death.
Maron et al. (2000) studied this question.