Improving treatments for atrial fibrillation

Identification, electro-mechanical characterisation and ablation of driver regions in persistent atrial fibrillation  

Dr Ross Hunter and his team at Queen Mary, University of London are working out how changes in heart muscle lead to atrial fibrillation (AF) and if a new technique could improve treatments. AF is the most common abnormal heart rhythm, where the heart beats irregularly, causing palpitations and increasing the risk of stroke and heart failure. Ablation involves flash-heating the heart tissue responsible for the abnormal heart rhythm to destroy it. This is a safe treatment for people with continual AF who have symptoms, but only around half of these treatments are successful in stopping the problem in rhythm. In this project, Dr Hunter will carry out a study in 60 people receiving ablation for persistent AF and 30 people with atrial tachycardia – when the heart beats too fast. During the ablation procedure he will use a new mapping technique to identify areas of the heart that drive and maintain AF, so they can be ablated. Some patients will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) heart scan, which will examine if stress in the wall or scarring of the heart contributes to developing AF. This research will shed light on how changes in the heart muscle lead to AF. It will help doctors identify areas that cause AF so they can target them during treatment, improving the chances of success and reducing the need for people to undergo further procedures.