What economic impact would increased use of ICD therapy have on US healthcare expenditures?
There is a misconception among some healthcare professionals that increased use of ICD therapy will disproportionately increase national healthcare expenditures (NHE). In fact, even if ICD therapy were to triple by 2005, it would still account for less than 1% of total NHE.2,3 When compared with other lifesaving interventions, using a standard measure of cost per life-years saved, ICD therapy has been shown to be cost-effective.4,5 One study, in fact, concluded that prophylactic ICD therapy became increasingly cost-effective when used early, as first-choice therapy in post-MI patients with VT or ventricular fibrillation (VF).
