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- amiodarone
- anti-arrhythmia agents
- death (sudden, cardiac)
- defibrillators (implantable)
- heart failure (congestive)
Q In patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), does amiodarone or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) reduce all cause mortality more than placebo?
Clinical impact ratings GP/FP/Primary care ★★★★★★☆ IM/Ambulatory care ★★★★★★☆ Cardiology ★★★★★★☆
METHODS
Design:
randomised placebo controlled trial (Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial [SCD-HeFT]).
Allocation:
concealed.*
Blinding:
blinded (clinicians and patients).*
Follow-up period:
median 46 months.
Setting:
145 centres in Canada and the US.
Patients:
2521 patients who were ⩾18 years of age (median age 60 y, 77% men) with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III chronic, stable CHF from ischaemic causes (left ventricular systolic dysfunction [LVSD] with marked coronary artery stenosis or documented myocardial infarction) or non-ischaemic causes (LVSD without marked stenosis); and an LV ejection fraction <35%.
Intervention:
amiodarone (loading dose of 800 mg daily for 1 wk, 400 mg daily for 3 wks, then a …