An automated external defibrillator in the home did not reduce all-cause mortality in patients at risk of cardiac arrest
G H Bardy
Dr G H Bardy, Seattle Institute for Cardiac Research, Seattle, WA, USA; gbardy@sicr.org
QUESTION
In stable patients at increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest, does having an automated external defibrillator (AED) in the home reduce all-cause mortality compared with training in usual emergency procedures?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial (Home Automated External Defibrillator Trial [HAT]).
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded (outcome adjudication committee).
Follow-up period:
median 37 months.
Setting:
178 clinical sites in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Patients:
7001 patients (median age 62 y, 83% men) who had had anterior-wall myocardial infarction, were not candidates for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy, and had a spouse or companion at home who was willing and able to perform the study interventions.
Intervention:
provision of an AED for home use (n = 3495) …
