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Cleveland Clinic Study Finds New Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Improves Quality of Life and Reverses Irregular Heartbeats

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 November 2006, 09:01 CST

CHICAGO, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVI), a new treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), causes irregular heartbeats to regress in most patients and improves heart failure patients' quality of life, according to a Cleveland Clinic Study. Results of the study are being presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

PABA CHF - Pulmonary Vein Antrum Isolation vs. AV Node Ablation with Bi- Ventricular Pacing for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure - is the first randomized, controlled study to compare two current approaches to treating atrial fibrillation in patients with congestive heart failure. Atrial fibrillation is a condition characterized by irregular heartbeats.

Pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVI) is designed to cure atrial fibrillation by electrically isolating all four pulmonary veins from the left atrium. During the procedure also known as pulmonary vein ablation (PVAI), doctors insert catheters into the blood vessels of the atrium. Radiofrequency energy is then used to block the pathway of irregular heartbeats.

During AV node ablation with bi-ventricular pacing (AVNA/BiV), a catheter is used to deliver an electrical current to the part of the heart causing the atrial fibrillation to prevent the irregular heartbeats. The patient relies on the use of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to shock the heart into normal rhythm when atrial fibrillation arises.

"The study results suggest that PVI is superior to AVNA/BiV in terms of both freedom from atrial fibrillation and improving patients' quality of life," said Andrea Natale, M.D., Section Head of Electrophysiology and Pacing at Cleveland Clinic. "Given many patients are afflicted by both congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, PVI is a real treatment option."

Recent studies had shown that patients who are pacemaker-dependent may benefit more from a biventricular device than a standard dual chamber device.

"The question then becomes, is it better to cure the atrial fibrillation with pulmonary vein ablation or make patients pacer-dependant," Dr. Natale said. "More research needs to be done to answer this very important question."

Atrial fibrillation is characterized by a lack of organized electrical and mechanical atrial activity that results in an irregular heartbeat and increased risks for congestive heart failure, thromboembolism (blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot), and death. This disorder currently affects 2.3 million Americans and is projected to affect up to 5.6 million Americans by 2050. Individuals with congestive heart failure are at an increased risk for developing atrial fibrillation.

Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,500 full-time salaried physicians at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2005, there were 2.9 million outpatient visits to Cleveland Clinic. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 80 countries. There were nearly 54,000 hospital admissions to Cleveland Clinic in 2005. Cleveland Clinic's Web site address is http://www.clevelandclinic.org/.

Cleveland Clinic

CONTACT: Kate Nagel of Cleveland Clinic, +1-216-965-8562, ornagelk@ccf.org

Web site: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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