An international medical study showed that adding a new therapeutic technique to the traditional procedure for treating atrial fibrillation may help reduce the likelihood of heart rhythm disturbances returning in a group of patients, especially those suffering from reduced electrical activity in certain areas of the heart.
The study, published yesterday Sunday in the medical journal "JAMA", stated that the trial, led by researchers from the Heart Institute at the University of Ottawa in Canada, with the participation of 14 medical centers, included 508 patients with atrial fibrillation, dividing them into two groups; the first received traditional treatment, while the second underwent the same treatment with the addition of the new technique.
Long-term follow-up results
The results, after a follow-up period of approximately 21 months, showed a return of heart rhythm disturbances in 49.4 percent of patients who received the combined treatment, compared to 57.5 percent of those who underwent traditional treatment alone, although this difference was not sufficient to prove the superiority of the new technique for patients in general.
In contrast, the technique recorded greater benefit for patients suffering from reduced cardiac electrical activity, as the recurrence rate of the disturbance reached 49.3 percent among those who received the combined treatment, compared to 69.2 percent in the group that received traditional treatment.
Details of the technique and complications
Researchers explained that traditional treatment relies on using heat or cold to isolate specific areas in the heart responsible for pulse disturbances, while the added technique targets other areas believed to play a role in the persistence of the disturbance and its recurrence.
Researchers pointed out that adding the new technique prolongs the duration of the therapeutic procedure, but it was not associated with a clear increase in complications compared to traditional treatment, emphasizing the need for further studies to determine which patients benefit most from it.
The results highlight the importance of developing therapeutic approaches that take into account differences between patients, which may help improve control over atrial fibrillation and reduce the recurrence of the condition.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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