Now, a technique to normalise heartbeats

Researchers Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton from Heart and Vascular Hospital devised a freezing technology, called cryoablation, which has shown promising results in normalising heartbeats.

"It appears the major complication rate is lower with cryoablation, and patients seem to tolerate it better," said Manish Assar, cardiac electrophysiologist at the Baylor Hospital who conducted the procedure.

Currently, one of the several methods to regularise heartbeats is catheter ablation, a minimally invasive surgical option, which uses heat technology to treat the problem at the source, the researchers said.

A catheter is a long, thin, plastic-coated wire with several metal contacts on it, is guided into the heart after the physician has determined the type of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rate and rhythm).

Its most common side effects are those encountered with any IV insertion, including bleeding at the site when the catheter is removed, infection, blood clot formation within the vessel, and bleeding under the skin with formation of a hematoma, the collection of blood.

Irregular beats involving the heart often obscure the threat to the brain. Their symptoms are shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, and dizziness or light-headedness.

Irregular beats could be instrumental in the formation of blood clots in the heart, which break off and travel to the brain, blocking major vessels, resulting in a stroke.

"Atrial fibrillation is responsible for 15 to 20 per cent of strokes," said Assar in a statement.

"The strokes that are a result of atrial fibrillation are large and have higher mortality than other strokes and higher rates of serious disability than other strokes," he said.