What is the SCD-HeFT Trial?
SCD-HeFT (Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial) is a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health to study the use of implantable defibrillators in patients with mild to moderate heart failure, an ejection fraction of 35% or less, and no previous life-threatening arrhythmic episode. Thus, the primary purpose of this trial was to determine the efficacy of ICDs as a “primary prevention” therapy. The study has three arms: ICD arm, drug arm (amiodarone), and the control group, with the patients divided equally in each group. All patients in each group received optimal conventional heart failure therapy (ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, etc.
