An increasing number of patients receive implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Within this group, it is difficult to differentiate between patients at high risk with need for additional treatment and, on the other hand, patients at low risk without benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. Risk stratification techniques have been studied extensively over the last decades, but no conclusive recommendations can be found in the current guidelines for prevention of SCD. Furthermore, new genetic markers associated with sudden cardiac death were discovered recently, however, have not been implemented in concurrent risk analysis. Last, time dependent changes of risk stratification assessment are unknown.