The American journal of medicine
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This study determines whether there are racial or gender disparities in the use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. ⋯ Use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy for primary prevention of sudden death among the elderly population identified as having an ischemic cardiomyopathy was significantly lower among women compared with men, and among blacks compared with whites. Further exploration of gender and racial barriers to appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator use for primary prevention is needed.