Study: Radiation Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Heart Failure

A pioneering study conducted by cardiologists and radiation oncologists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis unveils the potential use of radiation therapy, traditionally employed against cancer, to address ventricular tachycardia in patients suffering from a fatal irregular heart rhythm.

The research team's investigation into the cardiac effects of low-dose radiation therapy on individuals with heart failure indicates promising enhancements in heart function. Analyzing the effects on a small group of patients and modeling outcomes in mice with heart failure, the study offers hope for an alternative approach to treating this condition.

Although further research is required before implementing this therapy in heart failure patients, the study suggests that radiation's impact on inflamed hearts might hold more variability and potential benefits than previously acknowledged.

Published in the journal Med, the study highlights that low-dose radiation therapy contributes to improved cardiac function, partly by reducing the number of inflammatory immune cells within the heart muscle.

Dr. Ali Javaheri, co-senior author and cardiologist, expressed surprise at discovering that heart function seemed to improve post-radiation therapy, contrary to concerns about potential harm to overall heart function.

Heart failure affects approximately 6.2 million American adults, with more than half experiencing fatal outcomes within five years of the initial hospitalization, underscoring the urgency for improved therapies.

The study encompassed evaluations of nine patients with ventricular tachycardia before and after radiation treatment. Encouragingly, cardiac MRIs revealed enhanced heart function shortly after radiation,...