Two decades of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation and follow-up at a South African referral centre: trends, indications and long-term outcomes in a resource-limited setting.

There is an increase in the annual number of ICDs implanted at a South African referral centre. ICDs are predominantly implanted for secondary prevention. However, over time the number of devices implanted for primary prevention is steadily increased. During follow-up, there was no mortality difference between the primary prevention and the secondary prevention groups.