An intravenous lead for use with a cardiac device implantable beneath the skin of a patient provides positive fixation for the lead when implanted in an artery or vein of the heart. The lead includes a lead body adapted to be fed into an artery or a vein of the heart of a patient and at least one electrode carried by the lead body and adapted to be coupled to the implantable cardiac device. The lead body includes a preformed section having a resiliently coiled configuration. The coiled section makes substantially continuous surface contact with inner wall surfaces of the artery or vein after the lead is implanted within the artery or vein for providing positive fixation of the lead.