Catheter ablation prior to defibrillator shock reduces risk of recurrence of life threatening rapid heartbeat

Patients with episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT -a rapid heartbeat that originates in the ventricles) are at high risk of repeat VT, ventricular fibrillation, and death. Use of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), reduces mortality compared with drug treatment for VT. The VTACH study, published in this week's edition of The Lancet, shows that use of catheter ablation prior to ICD implantation reduces the risk of VT recurrence at two years. The study is by Professor Karl-Heinz Kuck, Asklepios Klinik St Georg, Hamburg, Germany, and colleagues.

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