No clinical trial that has examined the role of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in the prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) has provided outcome data for longer than a few years. The NHLBI sponsored and placebo-controlled Sudden Cardiac Death in heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) conducted from 1997 to 2003 had the largest number of patients and the longest average follow-up at 45.5 months. This study changed the national reimbursement policy for ICD therapy and remains the reference point for all other ICD evaluations in patients with congestive heart failure from ischemic or non-ischemic systolic dysfunction. Despite the outcome, the role of ICD therapy in the management of patients with heart failure has been questioned because of four principal concerns: numbers needed to treat to save a life, lead integrity over time, the negative consequences of shock therapy, and the cost of therapy. The purpose of this trial is to track down the remaining patients for a one-time follow-up regarding key outcome data.

Long-term outcome data for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is sorely needed. We will acquire these data by re-approaching the patient population from the original Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT).[Bardy 2005] This research is supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

SCD-HeFT was originally conducted from 1997 to 2003. It demonstrated unequivocally that ICD's save lives in patients with heart failure compared to placebo or amiodarone. More than 26 peer-reviewed publications, including three NEJM papers, have resulted from this work.[Bardy 2005, Poole 2008, Mark 2008] Despite the quality of SCD-HeFT and the evidence of the life-saving ability of ICD therapy, the role of ICD therapy in the management of patients with heart failure continues to be questioned. This study will provide long-term follow-up of the SCD-HeFT patients, which will now exceed 10 years on average.

Inclusion Criteria:

This is a one time follow-up on patients previously enrolled. -

Exclusion Criteria:

This is a one time follow-up on patients previously enrolled.

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At the close of follow-up of the original SCD-HeFT study on October 31, 2003 there were a total of 666 deaths out of the enrollment population of 2521 patients. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 offers a perfect opportunity to do a one-time survey of the remaining 1855 patients from our last follow-up of October 31, 2003. Data on this population would allow us to obtain 10 year ICD follow-up data on the most detailed and largest ICD study ever done.