Implantable cardioverter defibrillators, or ICDs, can be life saving for patients after myocardial infarction, but are also costly and may not be appropriate for all of the hundreds of thousands of patients who have had MI. Which subsets of patients might benefit most from ICDs, and might prophylactic use of ICDs early after MI reduce the risk of cardiac death? Dr. Mark Hlatky, professor of medicine and professor of health research and policy at Stanford University School of Medicine, weighs the comparative-effectiveness research on the efficacy of ICDs for patients early after MI, versus waiting a few months before implanting ICDs or trying other forms of therapy. Outside of implantable devices, what else can physicians do to reduce the risk of death after MI? Hosted by Dr. Janet Wright.
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