What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated how hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), given in single sessions or a full course, affected heart rhythm in 82 patients with coronary artery disease and chronic irregular heartbeats.
What They Found
All patients showed a positive effect on their irregular heartbeats after the first 5 or 6 HBOT sessions. However, a full course of HBOT showed mixed results: 24-hour ECG monitoring revealed a positive effect in 67% of patients with ventricular extrasystoles, while 17% saw no change, and 15.4% experienced an increase in ectopic activity.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with coronary artery disease experiencing chronic irregular heartbeats, this study suggests that initial HBOT sessions might help reduce these arrhythmias. However, patients should be aware that continuing HBOT beyond a few sessions could potentially worsen their heart rhythm.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This study is quite old (1986) and lacks specific details about the hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols used, which limits its current applicability.