Implantable cardioverter defibrillator in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) is broadly defined as any cardiomyopathy in which there is no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease that could explain the degree of left ventricular dysfunction. Although it is challenging to determine the exact prevalence of NICM, prior reports suggest that it is about 36 in 100,000 (1). Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant cause of death in the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction population, as demonstrated by the Framingham Heart study where the presence of heart failure led to a fivefold increase in the risk of SCD (2)