Potential consequences of cardioneuroablation for vasovagal syncope: A call for appropriately designed,
Praloy Chakraborty1, Peng-Sheng Chen2, Michael H Gollob3
1Heart Rhythm Institute, Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto General Hospital and University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Cardioneuroablation (CNA) is being increasingly used to treat patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS). Bradycardia, in the cardioinhibitory subtype of VVS, results from transient parasympathetic overactivity leading to sinus bradycardia and/or atrioventricular block. By mitigating parasympathetic overactivity, CNA has been shown to improve VVS symptoms in clinical studies with relatively small sample sizes and short follow-up periods (<5 years) at selected centers. However, CNA may potentially tip the autonomic balance to a state of sympathovagal imbalance with attenuation of cardiac parasympathetic activity. A higher heart rate is associated with adverse cardiovascular events and increased mortality in healthy populations without cardiovascular diseases. Chronic sympathovagal imbalance may also affect the pathophysiology of spectra of cardiovascular disorders including atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. This review addresses potential long-term pathophysiological consequences of CNA for VVS.
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