Does chronic baroreflex activation therapy improve sympathetic nerve traffic, baroreflex function, and cardiac haemodynamics in patients with heart failure?
In a proof-of-concept study, chronic baroreflex activation therapy was safe and improved sympathetic nerve traffic and clinical variables in heart failure patients.
BAT was safe and provided chronic improvement in MSNA and clinical variables. Based on present understanding of HF pathophysiology, these results suggest that BAT may improve outcome in HF by modulating autonomic balance. Prospective, randomized trials to test the hypothesis are warranted.
Gronda et al. (Mon,) studied this question.