Drug-Free Option Corrects Irregular Heartbeat
Nonsurgical Treatment Corrects Irregular Heartbeat in People With Heart Failure
Dec. 1, 2004 -- A new type of treatment that uses the heat of electricity to steady an abnormal heart rhythm may help improve the quality of life for people with heart failure, according to a new study.
Researchers say that an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, is a common problem in people with heart failure and having either condition often makes the other worse.
But treating irregular heartbeat in people with heart failure is difficult because many of the drugs normally used to restore a normal heart rhythm may not work or may cause dangerous side effects.
In this study, researchers found that a relatively new procedure called catheter ablation was effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm in 78% of the heart failure patients that received it.
Catheter ablation involves inserting a thin, flexible tube (catheter) into a vein in the groin and guiding it through the vein into the heart. An attachment at the end of the tube releases an electric current that destroys cells that send irregular signals to the heart.
In the study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of catheter ablation in 58 people with heart failure who had irregular heartbeat and in a similar group of 58 people with irregular heartbeat but without heart failure.
A year after the procedure, the study showed that 78% of the heart failure patients and 84% of the others had maintained a normal heart rhythm without the use of medications.
The results appear in the Dec. 2 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
The heart failure patients also experienced improvements such as an increase in their heart's pumping ability and a decrease in swelling of the heart tissue. In addition, they reported a significant improvement in their ability to exercise and in overall quality of life.
In an editorial that accompanies the study, William G. Stevenson, MD, and Lynne W. Stevenson, MD, of Harvard Medical School, say these results are encouraging but a cautious approach is warranted.
"Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is a relatively recent procedure that continues to evolve," they write. "The learning curve for the procedure and the potential risks are substantial. ... Further technical improvements are needed, and more studies of safety and efficacy will be welcome."
Drug-Free Option Corrects Irregular Heartbeat
Nonsurgical Treatment Corrects Irregular Heartbeat in People With Heart Failure
Dec. 1, 2004 -- A new type of treatment that uses the heat of electricity to steady an abnormal heart rhythm may help improve the quality of life for people with heart failure, according to a new study.
Researchers say that an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, is a common problem in people with heart failure and having either condition often makes the other worse.
But treating irregular heartbeat in people with heart failure is difficult because many of the drugs normally used to restore a normal heart rhythm may not work or may cause dangerous side effects.
In this study, researchers found that a relatively new procedure called catheter ablation was effective in restoring a normal heart rhythm in 78% of the heart failure patients that received it.
Catheter ablation involves inserting a thin, flexible tube (catheter) into a vein in the groin and guiding it through the vein into the heart. An attachment at the end of the tube releases an electric current that destroys cells that send irregular signals to the heart.
New Treatment for Irregular Heartbeat
In the study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of catheter ablation in 58 people with heart failure who had irregular heartbeat and in a similar group of 58 people with irregular heartbeat but without heart failure.
A year after the procedure, the study showed that 78% of the heart failure patients and 84% of the others had maintained a normal heart rhythm without the use of medications.
The results appear in the Dec. 2 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
The heart failure patients also experienced improvements such as an increase in their heart's pumping ability and a decrease in swelling of the heart tissue. In addition, they reported a significant improvement in their ability to exercise and in overall quality of life.
In an editorial that accompanies the study, William G. Stevenson, MD, and Lynne W. Stevenson, MD, of Harvard Medical School, say these results are encouraging but a cautious approach is warranted.
"Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is a relatively recent procedure that continues to evolve," they write. "The learning curve for the procedure and the potential risks are substantial. ... Further technical improvements are needed, and more studies of safety and efficacy will be welcome."
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