BACKGROUND: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is used to treat the delay in heart ventricle contractions that occur in some people with advanced heart failure. Doctors also have begun to use it as a means to prevent heart failure in patients with mild heart disease. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that when combined with optimal medical therapy or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, CRT may help reduce mortality in people with heart failure.
THE TREATMENT: CRT devices are small, electronic devices placed under the skin in the chest to help the left and right sides of the heart beat in unison. The device has two or three wires that are positioned in the heart to help the heart beat in a more balanced way. The wires are implanted through a vein in the right atrium and right ventricle and into the coronary sinus vein to pace the left ventricle. When your heart rate drops below the set rate (which is programmed by a doctor), the device generates small electrical impulses that pass through the wires to the heart muscle. These impulses make the lower ventricles of the heart muscle contract, causing the right and left ventricles to pump together. When the work of the two ventricles is coordinated, the heart's efficiency increases, and the amount of work it takes for the heart to pump blood is reduced. As a result, cardiac function is improved.
Patients are typically able to recover and resume normal activity within a few weeks of the procedure. The CRT device comes with a transmitter and is monitored regularly through telephone-monitoring and follow-up appointments. In follow-up appointments, a doctor will check the function and the battery-life of the devices. When the battery runs low, the device's generator can be replaced during an outpatient procedure. (SOURCE: Mayo Clinic)
ADVANTAGES: CRT may help the heart pump more effectively and treat slow heartbeats. The procedure is known to decrease heart failure symptoms. CRT can improve a patient's quality of life, their ability to exercise, and helps decrease hospitalizations in patients with severe or moderately severe heart failure.(SOURCE: www.clevelandclinic.org)
RISKS: Implanting a CRT device is a minor procedure, but it still involves some risks. Common risks include a possible allergic reaction to anesthesia and damage to blood vessels near the CRT device. There is also a possibility of infection where the CRT device was implanted, and swelling, bruising or bleeding. (SOURCE: www.clevelandclinic.org) MORE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Emily Boynton
University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, NY
Emily_Boynton@urmc.rochester.edu
Helping Bad Hearts Survive Heart Disease -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information
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