Medtronic pacemakers shown to offer atrial fibrillation benefits

Medtronic has announced results from a new clinical trial that demonstrates the benefits its pacemakers with enhanced pacing features can provide to atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Data from the Minerva study has been presented at the American Heart Association's 2013 scientific sessions, revealing that Medtronic pacemakers with atrial antitachycardia pacing have the ability to slow the progression of AF in patients with bradycardia, or a slow heartbeat.

The atrial antitachycardia pacing and atrial intervention features were able to significantly decrease the incidence of mortality, cardiovascular hospitalisations and permanent AF at two years compared to pacemakers without these features.

Moreover, they were able to create a significant delay in the progression of atrial tachyarrhythmias to permanent AF, with a 61 percent relative risk reduction after two years.

Luigi Padeletti, professor of cardiology at the University of Florence, said: "Our study is the first to demonstrate that pacemakers with enhanced pacing features can significantly reduce the progression of this dangerous condition."

This comes after the firm announced clinical trial results earlier this month showing the benefits its Resolute Integrity drug-eluting stent can offer over rival devices.