Letter Regarding Article by Bokhari et al, “Long-Term Comparison of the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Versus Amiodarone: Eleven-Year Follow-Up of a Subset of Patients in the Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS)”

Abstract

To the Editor: Since the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was introduced into clinical practice, the prospect of its widespread use has been perceived as a financial threat by many healthcare systems.1,2 The interesting study by Bokhari et al3 of the long-term efficacy of ICDs in clinical practice has relevant economic implications that the authors did not discuss. The follow-up periods reported for randomized trials on the efficacy of ICDs in secondary prevention of sudden death have been restricted previously to 3 to 5 years at most.1,4 The long-term follow-up study by Bokhari et al of Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS) patients at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto,3 who for the most part continued taking the treatment to which they were originally …