A new generation of Medtronic Inc’s EnRhythm pacemaker programmed to kick in only when heart rhythm disturbances are detected led to fewer deaths, hospitalizations and incidences of developing permanent heart problems than traditional versions of the device, according to data from a study. The enhanced pacing strategy had its most profound effect in cutting the risk of developing permanent atrial fibrillation - a dangerously irregular heartbeat - by 61 percent over the traditional pacemakers. Researchers conducting the 1,166-patient study, dubbed Minerva, found that the new pacing strategy helped avoid the side effects of continual electrical stimulation from standard pacemakers, which include weakening of the heart’s main pumping chamber as well as a progression to permanent atrial fibrillation.
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