Surgical procedure better than drugs for irregular heartbeat

Atrial fibrillation is an affliction that impacts many people and is basically a heart rhythm disorder. Atrial fibrillation is known to cause an irregular and fast heartbeat which leads to breathlessness and fatigue and will eventually increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, or sudden death. In the past, this affliction was treated with pharmaceutical drugs, but many are now finding a surgical option may be more effective.

The surgery, which is called catheter ablation, involves using a x-ray image guided tube that delivers a burst of energy which will destroy spots of defective heart tissue. The destroyed heart tissue then scars and acts as circuit breakers which prevent the heart from beating too fast.

In the past, catheter ablation was used primarily as a last resort if pharmaceuticals were not effective enough in curing the affliction. Doctors now are suggesting that, due to its effectiveness, the procedure should be considered much earlier on than before. This is because the anti-arrhythmic drugs don’t always work on all patients and often come with negative side effects.

The conclusion comes after a study conducted at 19 different medical centers saw the effectiveness of choosing to perform surgery over prescribing the medication to patients.