New Pacemaker Technique Reduced Serious Heart Events in Trial

A different way of positioning a pacemaker lead reduced serious heart-related events in a randomized trial of adults who needed a pacemaker for a slow or blocked heart rhythm, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions.

The OptimPacing trial enrolled 685 adults at 17 centers. Researchers compared left bundle branch pacing, which sends signals into part of the heart's natural electrical pathway, with standard right-ventricular pacing.

At four years, an estimated combined rate of death, hospitalization for heart failure or pacing-induced cardiomyopathy was 8.5% in the left bundle branch pacing group and 19.2% in the standard-pacing group. That result concerns the combined outcome, not a claim that deaths alone fell by that amount.

The study was stopped early after the benefit emerged. Researchers cautioned that stopping early can overestimate how large a benefit will be over longer follow-up.

Most participants began with normal left-ventricular pumping function, and the study used one type of lead. Those limits matter when considering whether the results apply to other patients or devices.

The findings were presented at a scientific meeting. They do not mean patients should change treatment or have an existing pacemaker replaced without speaking with their heart specialist.