Experts Discuss Clinical Benefits of Closed Loop Stimulation at Heart Rhythm Congress

OXFORDSHIRE, UK and BERLIN, Germany, October 11, 2016 – Physicians addressed Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS) at the Heart Rhythm Congress in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on October 10, 2016. CLS technology, available only in BIOTRONIK cardiac devices, adjusts the heartrate based on mental stress as well as physical activity.

Dr. Jan Steffel, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, opened the symposium by examining what makes Closed Loop Stimulation unique. Dr. Mark Walsh, Bristol Children’s Hospital, UK, followed with a case study that will be published in the Heart Rhythm Journal. The talk ended with Dr. Carel de Cock, University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands, who asked whether such technology was appropriate for heart failure patients.

Dr. Walsh spoke of his teen patient who experienced debilitating fainting episodes. Since receiving a BIOTRONIK pacemaker with CLS, the patient has returned to school and resumed some normal activities. “This patient suffered from the most severe case of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) that I’ve ever witnessed,” said Dr. Walsh. “She fainted several times a day and had no quality of life. That completely changed when I upgraded her pacemaker to a BIOTRONIK CLS device. The difference to her health has been remarkable.”

Clinical trials have shown CLS pacemakers to be uniquely capable of detecting the increase in heart muscle contractility that may occur in the early stage of a syncope.^{1, 2, 3}

“CLS is a fascinating innovation,” commented session chair Dr. Riyaz Kaba, Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital, and St. George's University Hospitals, greater London, UK. “As it is currently the subject of the B3 and BIOSync clinical trials – I predict it will be strongly embraced by the cardiology community in the coming years.”

1. ^{Occhetta E, et al. Europace. 2004, 6(6)}
   
2. ^{Palmisano P, et al. Europace. 2012, 14(7)}
3. ^{Russo V, et al. Heart. 2013, 99(21)}