Posted on 12/04/2024 3:40:16 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Ablation, a procedure to treat abnormal electrical short circuits caused by a heart attack and is usually reserved for patients who do not improve with medication, may be a better first-line treatment for heart attack survivors experiencing dangerous rapid heartbeat episodes, according to late-breaking science.
Ventricular tachycardia (VT), the most common cause of sudden cardiac death, is a fast heart rhythm that starts in the heart's lower chambers (ventricles). This rapid heartbeat prevents the heart's chambers from filling completely between contractions, which reduces blood flow to the rest of the body.
To reduce the risk of death from VT, the patient may receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which will shock the heart back into a normal rhythm.
"We have previously shown that when a medication is not preventing episodes of VT, ablation has led to better outcomes than increasing the medications. Now we know that ablation is a reasonable option for first-line treatment instead of starting with antiarrhythmic medication therapy," Sapp said.
In the VANISH2 trial, 416 patients who developed recurrent ventricular tachycardia after surviving a heart attack were enrolled at 22 health centers in three countries. All participants had ICDs to shock the heart as needed. Treatment with medication or ablation was randomly determined. Patients chosen for medication received one of two antiarrhythmic medications: amiodarone or sotalol.
The data analysis found that people who received ablation were 25% less likely to die or experience VT requiring an ICD shock. This included having three or more VT episodes in a single day or VT episodes that were not detected by the ICD and were treated in a hospital.
Although the study could not confirm if ablation worked better than medication to reduce each outcome tracked, the researchers found that overall, the differences favored ablation.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
62yr old lady in next door condo, had ablation done 2 months ago, but dropped dead from ‘throwing a clot’ 3 weeks ago.
What is ablation?
How performed?
(Link leads to a complication.)
I had atrial fibrillation for two solid years. My cardiologist wanted me to drink 64 ounces of fluids every day. I got tired of water and started drinking 64 ounces of low sodium V8 juice instead.
After a few weeks my atrial fibrillation converted to normal sinus rhythm.
Turns out low sodium V8 juice contains a boatload of potassium that I was evidently deficient of. Been 103 days and counting since I converted to normal sinus rhythm.
I had an ablation done on my heart about 10 years ago for Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs). The electrophysicist ran a catheter from my groin up into my heart and basically cauterized the exact location that was the source of the PVCs. He used both cold and heat to do the job. It was resoundingly successful.
Magnificent!
Thanks for the explanation.
Bump
Had my first ablation in 1994.
Then followed with 2 more.
All good now 6 yrs.
Mine was called tachycardia over 40 years ago - then A Fib - then A Flutter...NO treatment was ever prescribed. I decided I’d better stop pushing it when my husband was sick (passed away 3 years ago) and the stress I was under so I saw a doctor. Now on medication (2 different ones - one a blood thinner which I hate!). I like the sound of the low sodium V8...
A friend had ablation - no change but she never had the rapid heart beat that I experienced so I never knew WHY she had it done and neither did she. She went along with whatever the doctor said and never asked questions. She had another procedure a month ago with an implant - still doesn’t know what it was about..I look these things up but she doesn’t.
https://wolfminimaze.com/the-wolf-mini-maze
Several relatives and friends have had this procedure. Fantastic results.
My partner had ablation for Tachycardia attacks. I think it was similar to what you described, except I had the impression something would be scraped off the source area of his heart. We drove to the hospital early in the morning, they operated around noon, and I drove us home around 5 pm. His first attack occurred around 15 years ago at age 65, and scared me very badly. I had lost my husband 3 years earlier. I researched the situation and added calcium and magnesium to his supplements in the proper 2 parts to 1 ratio. He did not have another episode for a number of years. The day of the ablation, I spoke with the doctors there and they said maintaining the cal/mag ratio was important and he should continue with his supplements.
A few years ago he began to have occasional short episodes of Tachy, but then they started to get worse and last longer, finally 9 hours at 165 beats per minute. That is when he finally went to the doctor about it. I also found out he had been taking a lot of calcium based antacid for Gurd (stomach upset), so we readjusted his regular supplenments to offset this new calcium source. He had no further bad episodes, and went ahead with ablation 2 years ago, no symptoms since. Also, he now takes and monitors his own calcium and magnesium supplements, while I make packets of the other supplements for his daily use.
Potassium is another mineral that can also be of importance in heart matters. Many, many years ago one of my first jobs was working in a laboratory where some of the original work on calcium, magnesium, and potassium was being done in relationship to heart disease.
Thank you....Magnesium and Potassium have always been in/on my mind and at the same time, can I take them when on blood thinners? I can’t name the things I’ve tried only to find out that is a NO while taking blood thinners. Even was told to stop taking Ibuprofen as it in itself is a blood thinner. I say if that’s the case, why not dispense with all the RX for blood thinners and just take Ibuprofen? Too simple?
Good and refreshing to know that an MD would agree to the use of supplements...I’m big on supplements and do take a multivitamin that I trust from a multi-level-marketing company my husband and I were involved with at one time and that I still use to purchase my multi vitamin. I used to supplement my supplements with extra from Walgreens but stopped that.
I appreciate your post...
Sound like a good result.
I also take magnesium (400mg per day) - that seems to be critical. I do not take calcium, because I do not want it to build up in my arteries. I do eat yogurt, some milk, green leafy vegetables, and cheese. I also take a one-a-day vitamin that has some calcium in it.
Happy for your husband’s success!
See my previous comment for paragraph on magnesium, and thank you both for your concern or appreciation.
I just wrote a long answer to both you and dennisR, which for some reason did not print and has now disappeared. I am so frustrated with my old Chromebook, I just don’t have the energy or time to rewrite it at the moment. Maybe later after dinner. Sorry.
Ain’t technology great? Don’t worry about it...things haven’t been going right for me and I need music to cheer me up. Haven’t felt like it and I miss it so I’ll just put on a Tijuana Brass CD and chill!!! Nothing to sing to but maybe I’ll get there.
Have a good evening and no worries!!! Appreciate the thought.
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