Tag: catheter ablation

Picture Improved for HCM Patients with Afib

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According to a recent overview by HCM specialists at the Lahey Clinic, the prognosis for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation has substantially improved in recent years.

The use of direct anti-coagulant drugs like Pradexa, Xarelto and Eliquis, which began in 2010, has had a major impact in reducing stroke risk in HCM patients who suffer from Afib.  And, there is a low threshold for the initiation of these drugs for HCM patients who experience episodes of atrial fibrillation, even if such episodes are sporadic or infrequent.  Also, anti-arrhythmic drugs as well as catheter and surgical ablation procedures can be helpful treatment options which are available to these patients.

There are also behavior modifications which can have a positive impact on Afib since patients who are overweight or who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have a higher risk for atrial fibrillation.

Featured below are some past articles on HCMBeat about atrial fibrillation:

Atrial Fibrillation May Cause Negative Outcomes in HCM

Atrial Fibrillation? Try Giving Up Alcohol

Atrial Fibrillation: Treatable HCM Complication

Better Screening and Treatment Necessary for Atrial Fibrillation

Can This Formula Predict AFib in HCM Patients?

New Treatment for Arrhythmias

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As reported in this New York Times article, radiation has been used as a successful treatment in five patients with ventricular arrhythmias who had previously failed standard treatment using catheter radiofrequency ablation.  The complete study was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Because long term effects of radiation to the heart are unknown, this method is still quite experimental and could potentially cause long term side effects such as lung and heart damage.  Science Daily reported that the researchers have performed the procedure on 23 patients to date, and are currently enrolling patients in a clinical trial.

Catheter ablation useful for AFib in HCM

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A recent article published in Heart looked at the safety and effectiveness of catheter ablation for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in patients with HCM by performing a systematic review of prior publications on the subject.

The researchers concluded that even though the success rate for HCM patients was approximately half that of patients who suffered from AFib but did not have HCM, catheter ablation is still an effective treatment for HCM patients;  especially for those HCM patients who suffer from paroxysmal AFib and who have smaller atria.