SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY

Combination Device Reduces Heart Failure Deaths

from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required)

A combination defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization device reduced deaths by nearly one-third in patients with mild heart failure in a study that was terminated early on Monday because of its success, the device's manufacturer said Tuesday.

The combination device, called a CRT-D, had previously been shown effective in patients with severe heart failure, but this is the first study to investigate its use in those with milder forms of disease, who account for about 70% of the 5.5 million U.S. heart failure patients.

"This is a breakthrough finding," said Dr. Albert Waldo, a cardiologist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland who was not involved in the study.