Surgery More Effective Than Drugs in Treating Irregular Heartbeat

Study Findings
• A surgical treatment that burns parts of the heart may be the best option for people with a common abnormal heart rhythm when medication fails, according to a new study.

When muscles in the atria, the upper chambers of the heart, quiver erratically, the result is a rapid and irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, a condition that affects more than 2 million Americans a year and accounts for 15 percent of all strokes. The condition becomes more common—and more dangerous—as people age. Between 3 and 5 percent of people over age 65 have it. … Back to Article