TY - JOUR
T1 - Prehospital discharge defibrillation testing in ICD recipients
T2 - A prospective study based on cost analysis
AU - Lurie, Keith G.
AU - Iskos, Demosthenes
AU - Fetter, Joseph
AU - Peterson, Colleen A.
AU - Collins, Joanne M.
AU - Shultz, Jeffery J.
AU - Fahy, Gerard J.
AU - Sakaguchi, Scott
AU - Benditt, David G.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Prehospital discharge defibrillation testing is often performed to verify the function of newly implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). To determine whether elimination of predischarge testing could reduce costs without placing patients at additional risk, 31 patients were randomized in this prospective clinical evaluation to either receive or not receive a predischarge ICD defibrillation test. Expenses associated with postimplant care was the primary endpoint. All patients underwent induction of ventricular fibrillation after 6 months to evaluate ICD function. The groups were well matched in terms of patient characteristics, initial lead implant parameters, and defibrillation thresholds. Elimination of prehospital discharge testing resulted in a savings of $1,800/patient after 6 months, with no difference between groups in terms of ICD complication rates or unanticipated hospital admissions. Further studies are needed to better define the most appropriate time to assess defibrillation thresholds in the first year after implantation.
AB - Prehospital discharge defibrillation testing is often performed to verify the function of newly implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). To determine whether elimination of predischarge testing could reduce costs without placing patients at additional risk, 31 patients were randomized in this prospective clinical evaluation to either receive or not receive a predischarge ICD defibrillation test. Expenses associated with postimplant care was the primary endpoint. All patients underwent induction of ventricular fibrillation after 6 months to evaluate ICD function. The groups were well matched in terms of patient characteristics, initial lead implant parameters, and defibrillation thresholds. Elimination of prehospital discharge testing resulted in a savings of $1,800/patient after 6 months, with no difference between groups in terms of ICD complication rates or unanticipated hospital admissions. Further studies are needed to better define the most appropriate time to assess defibrillation thresholds in the first year after implantation.
KW - Implantable cardioverter defibrillator
KW - Outcomes
KW - Predischarge testing
KW - Ventricular fibrillation
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1999.tb00331.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1999.tb00331.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9990629
AN - SCOPUS:0032899301
SN - 0147-8389
VL - 22
SP - 192
EP - 196
JO - PACE - Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology
JF - PACE - Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology
IS - 1 II
ER -