Defibrillators don't benefit patients after heart attack

Latest clinical trials confirm that implanted cardiac defibrillators do not benefit heart attack patients.

The Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) trial has discovered that the implanted defibrillator, put in as a just in case measure, does not improve survival among patients at high risk of death from heart arrhythmia.

During the four year trial, significantly more postoperative complications were recorded in the defibrillator group than the control group. Over half of patients with the implant received a shock within the first two years. Moreover, the mortality rate in the defibrillator group (27 per cent) was higher than the control group (24 per cent).

This follows previous studies claiming heart implants do not help 20-30 per cent of patients with heart attacks caused by uneven heartbeat (N Eng J Med, 1997; 337: 1569-1623).