NHLBI IN THE PRESS

For atrial fibrillation: Catheter ablation or drug therapy? Results are in

Catheter ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation was no better than drug therapy in improving key patients’ outcomes, according to the intention-to-treat analysis, a statistical concept essential to the interpretation of randomized clinical trials. 

These were some of the findings of the Catheter ABlation vs ANtiarrhythmic Drug Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation (CABANA) trial, sponsored by the NHLBI and industry partners, and reported by the principal investigator, Douglas Packer, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) in Boston.

CABANA was conducted over nearly 10 years with more than 2,200 enrolled patients at 126 sites in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific.

Image depicting Douglas Packer and a slide of his presentation at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS).
CABANA Trial’s principal investigator, Douglas Packer, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, presents the results of the study, at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) in Boston, May 10, 2018.

Media Coverage

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TCTMD the heart beat
  • CABANA Misses Primary Endpoint, but Electrophysiologists See Support for Ablation
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    Forbes
  • CABANA: No Outcomes Benefit In First Big Trial Of AF Ablation
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    Medscape
  • CABANA: Ablation Disappoints for AF vs Drugs, Questions Remain
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    MedPage Today
  • CABANA Misses Primary But May Spur Afib Ablation Anyway
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    Healio
  • CABANA: Ablation an ‘acceptable treatment strategy’ for AF
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    Mass Device
  • HRS 2018: Study questions benefit of ablation over drug therapy for atrial fibrillation
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    Heart Rhythm Society
  • Dr. Eric Prystowsky interviews Dr. Douglas Packer about the CABANA trials results