Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)

What is it?

More recent developments in implanted device technology have given devices specifically aimed to help people with congestive heart failure (CHF). This therapy is known as Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT). CRT is designed for those patients who in addition to the having a high risk for a cardiac arrest also have severe symptoms of congestive heart failure (a weak heart).

The Device

A CRT device is implanted much like a pacemaker or ICD, except there is an additional pacing wire placed into a vein on the backside of the heart. This extra wire allows your EP physician to adjust the timing sequence of the contraction of the heart to optimize the heart function, similar to what a mechanic does to adjust the timing of the spark plugs in a car to improve the horsepower. The CRT devices are implanted in addition to the usual heart medicines your doctors use to treat CHF.

Maintaining the Device

Cardiac EP’s are also experts in the programming and management of CRT devices. Often, we perform optimization of these devices to offer patients even better results from their CRT devices. This is often performed by using echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) to guide your EP in special programming of your CRT device.