Is this the most important cardiology study of the last decade?

In recent years, progress in the field of cardiology has been painfully incremental. We have enjoyed small gains–a better ablation catheter and mapping system, a couple of new anti-platelet drugs, maybe better stents, and even the highly touted anticoagulant drugs are within 99% in efficacy and safety of warfarin. Major breakthroughs, though, are non-existent. (And please don’t tell me squishing valves in the frail elderly is a major advance.) This absence of game-changing type progress has an explanation. Perhaps the answer will be obvious after I tell you about the most important cardiology medical study of the last decade. Its title includes atrial fibrillation but it is much more than a rhythm study. Effect of Weight Reduction and Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Management on Symptom Burden and Severity in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation–A Randomized Clinical Trial This is a trial of a novel treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation. Patients enrolled in the study were overweight Australians referred to an urban arrhythmia center in Adelaide for symptomatic AF. The researchers compared an intensive (physician-led) intervention approach to weight reduction and risk factor (high blood pressure, sleep apnea, alcohol intake, diabetes) management to the standard of care. The study was born from two facts: One was that there is a long waiting list to get AF ablation in Australia. There was time. The second was that this group of researchers previously discover...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs