Challenging Arrhythmia Cases for the Allied Professional (non-ACE)-Challenging Arrhythmia Cases for the Allied Professional (non-ACE)

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session on "Challenging Arrhythmia Cases for Allied Professionals" explored the complexities of managing arrhythmias, particularly focusing on anti-arrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation. Megan Labreck, PharmD, highlighted the high-risk nature of anti-arrhythmic medications, detailing the challenges in monitoring adverse effects and distinguishing between medication effects and disease progression. She emphasized the financial burden of atrial fibrillation (AFib) on healthcare systems and the need for cautious prescription and monitoring of anti-arrhythmic drugs, citing the growth in drug therapy costs compared to pulsed field ablation (PFA) technologies.<br /><br />Tiffany Andrade-Hermann discussed AFib ablation as a first-line therapy, focusing on patient selection and procedure execution. She presented a case study of a patient with reduced ejection fraction, illustrating the use of PFA for decreasing AFib burden and improving heart function. The session underscored the importance of lifestyle modifications and proactive health measures in enhancing treatment outcomes.<br /><br />Javed Legacy introduced PFA as a revolutionary technique in AFib management, highlighting its non-thermal mechanism and safety benefits, such as minimizing collateral damage to structures like the esophagus and phrenic nerve. He also provided an overview of current PFA technologies and their clinical trial outcomes, emphasizing improved patient safety and efficacy. Audience questions facilitated discussions on patient selection criteria, post-ablation management, and the adaptability of new technologies in clinical practice.

Keywords

Arrhythmia

Anti-arrhythmic drugs

Catheter ablation

Atrial fibrillation

Pulsed field ablation

Patient selection

Non-thermal mechanism

Clinical trials

Healthcare costs