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Question:
Is ablation effective for ventricular tachycardia?
I am a 38 year old female. Prior to May 2009 I never had any cardiac problems. In September, after wearing a Looping monitor, I was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. My echocardiogram and stress test were both normal. My EP doctor is recommending an EP test and ablation. I've read that ablation is effective for atrial tachycardia. Is it effective for ventricular tachycardia?
submitted by Jessica from Austin, Texas on 11/13/09
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Christopher M. Frank, MD
Radiofrequency ablation can certainly be effective for ventricular tachycardia, both in structurally normal hearts and in abnormal hearts. I generally tell patients who have symptomatic ventricular tachycardia in an otherwise normal heart that the procedure has an approximately 90% long-term success rate without medications if I'm able to provoke the tachycardia at the time of testing (a tachycardia that cannot be induced cannot be mapped or ablated). Usually the more prominent issue is whether an ablation is necessary. Unless a tachycardia is causing symptoms of palpitations, lightheadedness, or syncope (passing out) it's often not necessary to have a procedure. If, however, it is causing symptoms, and especially if it's persistent for months despite medications, I generally advise young and healthy patients that an attempt at mapping and ablation is much preferable to lifelong medical therapy.
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Updated November 2009
