Developing better, safer treatments for ventricular tachycardia

Investigation of the physiological mechanisms through which Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) impairs cardiac function and exploration of potential clinical applicable therapy to improve cardiac output during VT (Dr Daniel Keene)

Supervised by Dr Zachary Whinnett, this Clinical Research Training Fellow is working to improve quality of life for people with ventricular tachycardia, or VT – a heart rhythm disturbance that can be life threatening. People with VT can have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, fitted, which returns the heart to a normal rhythm. The ICD does this either by delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy (ATP) or by delivering a shock if ATP is unsuccessful. Although ICDs save lives, the shocks they administer can be uncomfortable and they can sometimes be harmful. Reducing unnecessary shocks will improve quality of life and life expectancy of people with ICDs. In this project, the researchers want to develop new ICD treatments that safely reduce the need for ATP and shocks. They will establish exactly how VT reduces heart output. They will then use this information to develop a new form of treatment that improves heart function during VT to reduce the need for a shock. Finally they will test if a special sensor can reliably assess heart function during heart rhythm disturbances. By developing new ICD treatments that assess heart function more accurately and allow VTs time to resolve themselves, Dr Whinnett aims to reduce the number of potentially harmful shocks and ATP therapies needed, improving the quality of life of people with ICDs.