Results from a randomized clinical trial comparing catheter ablation with rate control in patients with heart failure and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) found peak oxygen consumption increased significantly in the ablation group.
Patients with atrioventricular block and mild to moderate heart failure who were randomized in the BLOCK HF trial to biventricular pacing as a whole had better outcomes than counterparts who received conventional right ventricular pacing.
Anne M. Gillis, MD, president of the Heart Rhythm Society and a professor at the University of Calgary, discussed highlights of Heart Rhythm 2013 that starts May 8 in Denver and how the scientific sessions continue to evolve.
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved in patients with postinfarction heart failure (HF) who received a shock-wave facilitated infusion of bone marrow-derived cells in a small randomized clinical trial. The improvement at four months was modest but significant, according to CELLWAVE trial researchers.
Treating heart failure with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers and aldosterone antagonists provided the largest gains in quality-adjusted life years compared with treatments that did not include all three agents. Treatment according to guidelines resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of less than $1,500 per quality-adjusted life year.
