Heart chamber shrinkage predicting ablation success in irregular heartbeat

This study is looking at a pattern in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat that lasts longer than a week). Researchers want to understand whether the amount your heart's left chamber shrinks after initial treatment can predict whether a catheter ablation procedure — a minimally invasive treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to correct the rhythm problem — will be successful long-term.

When the heart beats irregularly for a long time, the heart muscle can become scarred and enlarged, which makes the irregular rhythm harder to treat. Doctors need a better way to predict which patients will benefit most from ablation, so they can plan the best treatment approach for each person.