Implantable cardioverter defibrillator criteria for primary and secondary prevention of pediatric sudden cardiac death.

The implantable cardioverter defibrillator is established as life-saving in specific adult populations. However, the precise indications and criteria for defibrillator implantation in children are less well defined. This article provides a succinct review of the indications and implantation criteria in pediatric populations at risk for sudden cardiac death, including specific disease substrates such as cardiomyopathies, inherited arrhythmias, and congenital heart disease.