Background-In the Canadian Implantable Defibrillator Study (CIDS), we assessed the cost-effectiveness of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in reducing the risk of death in survivors of previous ventricular tachycardia (VT) or fibrillation (VF). Methods and Results-Healthcare resource use was collected prospectively on the first 430 patients enrolled in CIDS (nϭ212 ICD, nϭ218 amiodarone). Mean cost per patient, adjusted for censoring, was computed for each group based on initial

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... erapy assignment. Incremental cost-effectiveness of ICD therapy was computed as the ratio of the difference in cost (ICD minus amiodarone) to the difference in life expectancy (both discounted at 3% per year). All costs are in