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Washington: Scientists
have now discovered a technique to regularise abnormal heartbeats.
A new freezing technology, called cryoablation, has shown
promising results in normalising heartbeats after being tried out
at Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital.
Some 2.5 million Americans alone suffer from abnormal heartbeats
or arterial fibrillation, which causes deadly strokes.
"It appears the major complication rate is lower with cryoablation,
and patients seem to tolerate it better," said Manish Assar,
cardiac electrophysiologist at the Baylor Hospital who conducted
the procedure.
Currently, one of the several methods to regularise heartbeats is
catheter ablation, a minimally invasive surgical option, which
uses heat technology to treat the problem at the source, according
to a Baylor statement.
A catheter is a long, thin, plastic-coated wire with several metal
contacts on it - is guided into the heart after the physician has
determined the type of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rate and
rhythm).
Its most common side effects are those encountered with any IV
insertion, including bleeding at the site when the catheter is
removed, infection, blood clot formation within the vessel, and
bleeding under the skin with formation of a hematoma (collection
of blood).
Irregular beats involving the heart often obscure the threat to
the brain. Their symptoms are shortness of breath, fatigue, chest
pain, and dizziness or light-headedness. Irregular beats could be
instrumental in the formation of blood clots in the heart, which
break off and travel to the brain, blocking major vessels,
resulting in a stroke.
"Atrial fibrillation is responsible for 15 to 20 percent of
strokes," said Assar.
"The strokes that are a result of arterial fibrillation are large
and have higher mortality than other strokes and higher rates of
serious disability than other strokes."
"One of the biggest misconceptions about atrial fibrillation that
I hear from patients is that if they can't feel it, they don't
have it," said Assar.
"But the diagnosis is made through an EKG (ECG), and if the EKG
says they have arterial fibrillation, they have it."
While many patients exhibit no symptoms, that wasn't the case for
Doug Gerber.
"Over time my heartbeat had become irregular. It would race to
over 150 or slow down to under 50," he explained.
"It would pound so hard that I could see it beating through my
shirt."
After attempting to control his erratic beats though medication,
Gerber sought a more permanent solution, which he received at
Baylor.
"My electrophysiologist understood exactly what was happening and
recommended cryoablation," he said. Since the procedure, Gerber
and his family have been able to look to the future without
worrying about his heart.
Arterial fibrillation can strike at any age, but it is most
prevalent in the elderly. No matter how old a patient is or
whether or not they exhibit any symptoms, arterial fibrillation can
lead to other serious health problems.
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