Improving treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is a heart rhythm disorder or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure. The disease is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart and patients are highly symptomatic with a dramatically increased risk to develop other diseases.
A Global Disease
Today, there are more than 38.8 million people suffering from AFib globally, with 4.5 million new cases every year. Approximately 2% of people younger than 65 have AFib, while about 9% of people aged 65 and older have it, making the disease especially critical for ageing populations.
Current Treatment
One of the principal treatments for AFib is catheter ablation, which despite technological advances is only successful in about half of the procedures performed. Many patients go on to require repeat procedures, often with a worsening condition that requires continued medical management.