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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 Each year in the United States, more than a million people are diagnosed with congestive heart failure, in which the heart weakens and isn't able to pump enough blood to the rest of the body. About 25 percent of congestive heart failure patients suffer from non-uniform heart contraction, which requires implantation of a pacemaker to restore normal heartbeat, according to background information in a news release about the study.
Pacemakers can help extend people's lives for month or years or help them return to normal daily activities. It had been believed that pacemakers simply provided a mechanical solution for heartbeat malfunction.
"Now that we have found that resynchronization is doing more fundamental things to the heart muscle, we should be able to better combine these devices with drugs to maximize long-term survival and outcomes," Kass said.
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More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about cardiac pacemakers.
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-- Robert Preidt
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