Contemporary implantable cardiac device trials for sudden cardiac death and future guidelines: how can we shape the future?

We propose a future ICD trial framework grounded in multimodal risk assessment, competing-risk-adjusted endpoints, pragmatic and adaptive trial designs, and device-specific evaluation pathways. We further outline how future guidelines may evolve to incorporate enriched patient phenotyping, precision risk prediction, and personalized device selection. Together, these developments signal a paradigm shift toward an individualized, digitally supported, and modular approach to SCD prevention in the next decade.