Medicare Expands Reimbursement for Implanted Defibrillators Mississippi Baptist Medical Center Cardiologists Focus on Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death



April 28 2005 Thousands of heart patients soon will be eligible to receive an implanted defibrillator and Medicare has decided to cover the cost Results from a landmark study by the National Institutes of Health indicated patients with implantable cardioverterdefibrillators ICDs saves more lives The January 20 2005 issue of The New England Journal featured results from the Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial SCD - HeFT showing a 23 percent reduction in death among trial participants with an ICD compared to those who did not receive defibrillators The SCDHeFT findings show that ICDs used preventively in people with heart failure and poor heart pumping function have the potential to saves tens of thousands of lives each year SCDHeFT is the latest in a series of major medical studies demonstrating the lifesaving benefits of ICDs The results reinforce evidence from earlier trials Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it intends to increase the Medicare beneficiaries eligible for an ICD based on the study It is estimated that the government will now pay for devices for 500000 patients two to three times more than were previously eligible Baptist Medical Center Cardiologists Robert Andrew Pickett MD and Douglas Wolfe MD are two of only seven board certified electrophysiologists in Mississippi helping get people's hearts back in rhythm Electrophysiology is basically a subsection of cardiology focusing on treating arrhythmias and on the prevention of sudden cardiac death said Dr Pickett We are treating the cause rather than just the symptoms Rapid advances in technology are helping us get ahead of the curve For instance ICDs are pagersized devices implanted under the skin near the collarbone and connected to the heart with insulated wires The devices deliver a forceful shock that jolts a racing heart back into normal rhythm Dr Pickett noted that no drug has ever been shown to prevent sudden death better than defibrillators Funded by manufacturer Medtronic Inc and drug maker Wyeth the study indicates that ICDs are a costeffective therapy in this heart failure population and reinforces the fact that defibrillation is the only treatment that can stop a lifethreatening heart rhythm once it occurs In the United States approximately 450000 people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest It's a sudden abrupt loss of heart function often caused by a rapid chaotic heart rhythm disturbance People at most risk of suffering sudden cardiac arrest are heart attack survivors and heart failure patients For more information visit Baptist's website at wwwmbhsorg



Medicare Expands Reimbursement for Implanted Defibrillators Mississippi Baptist Medical Center Cardiologists Focus on Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death