Cardiac arrhythmias New healing therapy for atrial fibrillation

When the heart goes out of rhythm: New treatment for cardiac arrhythmias

It is estimated that around two million people in Germany suffer from atrial fibrillation. Although the flicker often goes completely unnoticed, but it can also have dangerous consequences. A new technology for eliminating atrial fibrillation has been established at the Heart and Thorax Center of the Fulda Hospital.

Atrial fibrillation can have dangerous consequences

According to health experts, atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in Germany with an estimated more than two million people affected. The flicker often goes completely unnoticed, but can also have dangerous consequences. It can come through the atrial fibrillation in the worst case to a stroke. If the cardiac arrhythmia is detected in time, for example, it can be counteracted with medication and a healthy lifestyle. For some patients, a new technology for the elimination of atrial fibrillation, which has established the heart-thorax center of the Fulda Hospital, can make sense.

People with atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk for various conditions such as stroke. Specialists have now established a new technology for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)

Prevent the most common cardiac arrhythmia

In order to prevent the most common cardiac arrhythmia in this country, it is especially important that beneficial diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or coronary heart disease (CHD) are treated.

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided.

In addition, a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is recommended. Obesity should be avoided.

Stressful for the patient

Despite all precautions can not be ruled out that the heart is getting out of rhythm again and again. This can be very stressful for the patients, especially if the arrhythmia occurs suddenly and unexpectedly.

Similar to a spark plug in the engine, the heartbeats are initiated via an electrical impulse from the atrium of the heart, explains the Fulda Hospital in a statement.

Disturbances or misfires in other areas of the heart can lead to an irregular pulse, the atrial fibrillation.

With medications it is often not possible to permanently normalize the heart rhythm and to keep the so-called sinus rhythm, especially if the atrial fibrillation "comes and goes"..

The Cardio-Thoracic Center of the Fulda Clinic has established a new technology for eliminating atrial fibrillation for these patients.

Well established treatment procedure

With the help of a special catheter the so-called "electrophysiological examination" can be used to diagnose arrhythmias and to treat them during the examination by ablation.

At the desolate place thereby a small superficial scar arises. Scarred heart tissue conducts no electrical currents, so that the arrhythmia after treatment can no longer occur.

The Department of Electrophysiology at the Medical Clinic I was opened in February 2016 in the Heart and Thorax Center of the Fulda Hospital. Dr. Joachim Krug and his team specialize in catheter-assisted diagnosis and therapy of cardiac arrhythmias.

Since then, more than 450 electrophysiological examinations have been performed at the hospital, reports Schächinger.

Among them were more than 140 patients with ablations in atrial fibrillation, in which certain parts of the left atrium were obliterated: This designated as "pulmonary vein isolation" special form of ablation is now also well established at the hospital treatment method to the heart again "in time " bring to.

So far, the electrophysiological team used only the classic procedure with radio frequency current. In the process, the unwanted electrical conduction at the edge of the left atrium becomes "hot".

Scorching due to cold

Now the treatment options are extended by the innovative procedure of so-called "cryoablation". In this method, the goal of desolation is achieved with "cold" rather than heat.

The treatment by means of cold can have advantages in certain constellations. In particular, the examination time for the patient is shorter, as evidenced in a large study comparing the two therapeutic principles.

Dr. Krug knows the procedure well from his previous work at a large center. He is considered an expert in the field of cryoablation and sees the new ablation technology as a successful addition to the electrophysiological performance spectrum.

According to Krug, the progress in the field of heat-based ablation technology does not stop either, "here, too, we can keep state-of-the-art technology. We thus create an optimized and individual treatment strategy for the benefit of our patients, "says the expert. (Ad)