Cardiac electrophysiology: A cost‐effective approach

AbstractClinical cardiac electrophysiology is a relatively new discipline, heavily dependent upon new technology that is often expensive. In cardiac pacing, no effective alternative to permanent pacing usually exists for patients with Class I indications, so cost‐reduction strategies involve appropriate selection and utilization of hardware and facilities. Cost‐effective utilization of radiofrequency ablation and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators requires that these techniques be compared with alternative therapies, usually antiarrhythmic drugs. Both ablation and defibrillator implantation can be shown to be cost effective in selected populations, but a cost‐conscious approach to procedures and patient selection can make them cost effective in a broad range of patients.