Cardioverter defibrillator therapy in the primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are the mainstay of modern device-based therapy for ventricular arrhythmias. Originally developed for patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest, the vast majority of today’s ICDs are implanted prophylactically in patients with heart failure at increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias. The objective of this review is to provide a concise overview of current ICD indications and device selection criteria. Furthermore, remaining limitations of ICD therapy are discussed and current trends are outlined.