Cunningham AD, Plummer CJ, McComb JM, Lord SW, Cunningham MW, Toussaint JM, Rickards AF. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: postcode prescribing in the UK 1998-2002.
Heart 2005;
91:1280-3. [PMID:
15797937 PMCID:
PMC1769132 DOI:
10.1136/hrt.2004.048512]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine the rate of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation across the UK during the period 1998 to 2002.
DESIGN
Observational self reporting with cross checking.
SETTING
All ICD implanting centres coordinated by the National Pacemaker and ICD Database.
PATIENTS
Every patient receiving an ICD in the UK from 1998 to 2002.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Date of implantation and postcode of each ICD recipient during the study period.
RESULTS
ICD implantation increased in the UK in the five year period studied but fell far short of the European average and national targets. Implantation rates varied greatly by region.
CONCLUSIONS
The low rate of ICD implantation in the UK and the disparity between regions require further study to determine the barriers to this evidence based treatment.
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