Your heart and your car have more in common than you might think. Both rely on electricity to function properly. In your heart, a series of electrical pathways must work in a carefully choreographed pattern to make the heart muscles move in the right order to get blood out to the rest of your body. When this pattern gets out of sync, it may be a sign of a heart arrhythmia. Special heart experts, known as electrophysiologists, focus on the electrical rhythms of the heart and have tools and options to help fix arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, and related issues.
At the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Institute (CVRTI) we both research and closely follow all the latest advances in the field of electrophysiology, which is the study of the heart’s electrical systems. The best, most proven techniques, will make their way to our facility to give us even more choices to help keep your heart healthy. The last few years have seen a number of exciting developments that could become the treatments of tomorrow.
What’s New in Electrophysiology Research? A Closer Look at the Latest Advances
The Amplatzer Amulet Implant and Its Potential
Receiving FDA approval in 2021, the Amplatzer Amulet is a metal mesh implant device that has been showing promise. Recent study results show some promise for the implant to help reduce the risk of ischemic stroke. The mesh device closes the left atrial appendage of the heart, and when effective, appears to help reduce the need for anticoagulation therapy. A recent 5-year study gives additional evidence on the safety and efficacy of the treatment option.
Leadless Pacemakers as a Less Invasive Option
Another implantable device has also been making waves in recent years. An emerging category of pacemaker involves devices that no longer need leads. Traditional pacemakers, battery powered devices to help the heart beat properly, involve several components connected by leads, which can add complexity to the surgical implanting process. Leadless pacemakers are a type of all-in-one unit that could benefit certain types of patients. Operations to install this type of pacemaker can be less invasive that what would be involved for traditional pacemakers. But there are limits to the use of leadless pacemakers, namely it can only operate on one chamber and it cannot offer defibrillation.
How Intracardiac Electrograms Are Improving Diagnostics
While devices have been in the spotlight, detection and diagnostic technologies are also making important strides. Recent studies show improvements in situations where electrocardiogram (ECG) readings don’t yield the detailed results that may be needed. Traditional ECGs use electrodes placed on the chest to record electrical activity for the whole heart. When physicians want a closer look at a specific part of the heart, there is a technique called intracardiac electrograms, or IEGM. This method involves placing electrodes either on or near heart muscles to see what is happening in a specific section of the heart. This can be used to help decide where ablation, or the removal of diseased tissue, could help a patient. A better target could lead to more precise surgeries where only the targeted tissue is removed.
Artificial Intelligence in Heart Care and Diagnosis
And last, but not least, artificial intelligence (AI) is coming to help better diagnose some heart problems. AI technology impacts nearly every industry, and electrophysiology is no different. Studies have examined using AI in some circumstances to help determine the optimal ablation therapy for those living with atrial fibrillation. Upcoming AI models may help surgeons determine the best surgical location or strategy that will give a patient the highest chance of success. AI models are trained on data from other atrial fibrillation patients, which in turn can help give care providers see what worked in other patients with similar characteristics.
CVRTI’s Research in Electrophysiology
At CVRTI, researchers are at the forefront of advancing science to better understand the heart’s electrical patterns. Dating back to the earliest days of the institute, research have focused on cardiac rhythm. CVRTI scientists have unlocked secrets about cardiac bioelectricity and electrocardiographic signals. The institute helped determine how ion channels and transporters work to make the heart beat. Our researchers study the genomic basis of inherited arrhythmia syndromes and congenital heart disease. We also push forward in better understanding the structural basis of atrial fibrillation through cutting-edge imaging studies.
Whether it is our own research or findings from across the globe, CVRTI is committed to making sure our patients receive the best treatments and diagnostics available.
