Posted by Claude Hepworth on December 06, 2002 at 23:55:27:
In Reply to: Re: New England Journal on Afib treatment posted by Carl Plaskett on December 05, 2002 at 23:16:01:
I agree with the comments, and before I forget, thank you Carl for the nice comments about me.
The problem is, this is the wrong study. The study should compare surgical and ablation a-fib cures with medical attempted cures and medicaly ignoring the a-fib. They should compaare complications, quality of life, and even costs of care. This should then be published widely. The New England Journal article has ignored the most logilcal treatment for a-fib. In so doing,they may have done a disservice to the advancment of medical care. If a-fib is going to be treated as essentially non-consequental,amd the most sucessful treatments ignored, insurers may refuse to pay for the treatment. Patients may not hear of this highly sucessful treatment. And medical care will suffer!