A combination defib- rillator and cardiac resynchronization device reduced deaths by nearly one-third in patients with mild heart failure in a study that was terminated early because of its success, the device’s manufacturer said Tuesday.
The combination device, called a CRT-D, had been shown effective in patients with severe heart failure, but this is the first study to investigate its use in those with milder forms of disease, who account for about 70 percent of the 5.5 million U.S. heart- failure patients.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy uses a device implanted in the chest to deliver a regular, small electric signal to the heart to trigger synchronized beating of the heart chambers. It contains a defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal rhythm if it beats erratically. Los Angeles Times
