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Breathing treatment improved cardiac function, nerve activity in patients with HF
An overnight breathing treatment — adaptive servo-ventilation — has been shown to increase activity in the sympathetic nervous system as well as improve cardiac function, exercise capacity and symptom in patients with HF after a 6-month period.
Takuji Toyama, MD, from Gunma Prefectural Cardiovascular Center, Gunma, Japan, and colleagues followed at 30 people with chronic HF for 6 months. Participants all had a left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. Researchers assigned patients to receive adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy or conservative therapy with no ASV therapy. Researchers performed nuclear medical examinations including molecular imaging using scintigraphy and either I-23Imetaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) or Tc99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) as an imaging probe.
The results were presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine’s 59th Annual Meeting.
Between the two groups, researchers found no significant differences on basic characteristics. However, the ASV group showed improvements in activity in the sympathetic nervous system, cardiac function, exercise capacity and symptom of HF.
“The use of ASV therapy to increase sympathetic nerve activity represents a novel treatment in patients with congestive heart failure,” Toyama stated in a press release. “Our research showed improvement of not only cardiac symptoms and function but also sympathetic nerve activity. These findings mean that ASV has the potential to become an excellent device for the treatment of CVD.”
For more information:
Toyama T. Scientific paper #350. Presented at: the Society of Nuclear Medicine’s 59th Annual Meeting; June 9-13, 2012; Miami Beach, Fla.
Disclosure: Dr. Toyama reports no relevant financial disclosures.