High Mortality in Heart Failure – Physiological Pacing Can Improve Cardiac Function

The heart beats all the time, sending blood to every organ in the body. In patients with heart failure, the heart function declines, causing the heart to be unable to effectively pump blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to various organs of the body. There are many causes of heart failure, common causes include coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, myocarditis, hereditary cardiomyopathy, heart valve disease, congenital structural heart disease, etc. In addition, three highs (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol), smoking, excessive drinking, and obesity are also high-risk factors for heart failure. Studies have shown that about half of patients with heart failure will die within five years of diagnosis, and the death rate is even higher than that of some cancers. According to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, heart failure is divided into four grades, and patients with grade III (fatigue and wheezing after light activity) to grade IV (fatigue and wheezing even at rest) are the most serious , with the highest death rate.

hket:inline-image name=”shutterstock_1267281781.jpg”/hket:inline-image

Fortunately, as long as patients actively accept treatment and develop healthy living habits, it will help to control the disease early.

In addition to drug therapy, patients with chronic severe heart failure (NYHA grade 3 to 4) may need to implant cardiac electronic devices to improve heart function, increase exercise tolerance and reduce mortality. Traditional cardiac pacemakers only pace the right ventricle, which may lead to mechanical asynchrony of the left and right ventricles and aggravate heart failure in the long run. Physiological pacing technology, which can accurately pace the heart conduction system, simulate the physiological heart conduction path (such as His bundle pacing or left bundle branch pacing), or pace the left ventricle (called cardiac resynchronization therapy CRT ), achieve the effects of improving heart electrical conduction, coordinating the mechanical synchronization of left and right ventricles, strengthening heart function and reducing heart failure. Some high-risk patients with heart failure are more likely to need an implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD). ICD can automatically detect ventricular arrhythmia, and deliver high-energy electric shock to the heart to restore normal heart rhythm and reduce the risk of sudden death.

(The treatment of heart failure depends on the condition of the disease and adopts different plans, each with different effects and risks. Patients should discuss with the doctor first, and choose the most suitable plan according to their personal physical condition, condition, affordability, etc.)

hket:inline-image name=”ChanKitPhoto.jpg”/hket:inline-image

Cardiologist
Chen Jie

This column is supported by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals UK
If you have any questions about your treatment, please ask your doctor or pharmacist.