What is Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) designed to achieve?

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) is specifically designed to improve the timing of the heart's contractions, particularly in patients who experience heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and a specific type of conduction defect known as a left bundle branch block. The key objective of CRT is to use biventricular pacing, which means pacing both the right and left ventricles simultaneously, to enhance their coordinated contraction. This synchronization helps improve cardiac output and can alleviate symptoms of heart failure, leading to better functional capacity and quality of life.

By addressing the timing of ventricular contractions, CRT effectively helps the heart pump more efficiently, reducing symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath that can accompany heart failure. It contrasts with other forms of pacing that might focus on single ventricle pacing or rhythm control but do not specifically address the coordination between the two ventricles.