What condition qualifies for secondary prevention with ICD therapy?

Sustained ventricular tachycardia qualifies for secondary prevention with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy because this condition indicates a significant risk of life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation. In patients who have experienced sustained ventricular tachycardia, an ICD can be crucial in promptly detecting and treating potentially deadly tachyarrhythmias, thereby preventing sudden cardiac death.

Secondary prevention specifically involves interventions for individuals who are at high risk of future cardiac events based on prior occurrences. Therefore, for patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia, the use of ICD therapy serves as a proactive measure to safeguard them against recurrent dangerous arrhythmias. Conditions like stable heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or symptomatic heart failure with normal ejection fraction do not present the same immediate arrhythmic risk that warrants ICD therapy solely for secondary prevention. Similarly, patients without a history of arrhythmias do not qualify for ICD therapy since they lack previous events indicating an elevated risk.