Hi John, Great question. The Oklahoma group who published this article has pioneered vagus nerve stimulation to help treat Afib (they used ear stimulating devices in this study). While the data published in this study were most impressive, I haven't been impressed with the results of my patients who have tried vagus nerve stimulators (you can buy a wide variety of these devices today without a prescription on Amazon--ear/wrist/etc. vagus nerve stimulators). Perhaps the devices on Amazon aren't using the right frequency or are inferior devices to those used by the Oklahoma group in the study you referenced.
I am not sure if you may have discussed this already, but I am interested if you have views on the potential of Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation as potential addition to the many lifestyle and diet approaches you have outlined to help with Parasympathetic Atrial Fibrillation with a view to slowing or reversing its progression. There was an NIH study conducted a while back, to the lay person seemed to show quite a lot of promise - TREAT AF (Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Suppress Atrial Fibrillation): A Randomized Clinical Trial (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32192678/) and a few review articles since.
Curious to know how clinicians are thinking about this and whether it is something that you think might come to be clinically approved at some time in the near future.
And then in the mean time, prior to being proven clinically effective by regulatory bodies, if you see downside/risks or cautions that might go exploring it.
Hi John, Great question. The Oklahoma group who published this article has pioneered vagus nerve stimulation to help treat Afib (they used ear stimulating devices in this study). While the data published in this study were most impressive, I haven't been impressed with the results of my patients who have tried vagus nerve stimulators (you can buy a wide variety of these devices today without a prescription on Amazon--ear/wrist/etc. vagus nerve stimulators). Perhaps the devices on Amazon aren't using the right frequency or are inferior devices to those used by the Oklahoma group in the study you referenced.
Greetings Dr John Day.
I am not sure if you may have discussed this already, but I am interested if you have views on the potential of Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation as potential addition to the many lifestyle and diet approaches you have outlined to help with Parasympathetic Atrial Fibrillation with a view to slowing or reversing its progression. There was an NIH study conducted a while back, to the lay person seemed to show quite a lot of promise - TREAT AF (Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Suppress Atrial Fibrillation): A Randomized Clinical Trial (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32192678/) and a few review articles since.
Curious to know how clinicians are thinking about this and whether it is something that you think might come to be clinically approved at some time in the near future.
And then in the mean time, prior to being proven clinically effective by regulatory bodies, if you see downside/risks or cautions that might go exploring it.
Regards and thanks for your thoughts