Botox for the Heart
You might think that Botox is only for smoothing out wrinkles and erasing signs of aging, but new studies show that botox might actually be able to help heart surgery patients! It was discovered that shots of botox into the heart can keep its beating more regular and lower the risk of heart complications like stroke, heart attack, or kidney failure. Heart bypass surgery is one operation that results in 10-50% of patients to develop abnormal heart rhythms.
The Test
Dr. Johnathon Steinburg at the University of Rochester decided to test the effects of botox on heart surgery patients and gathered some very interesting results. After injecting Botox into the fat surrounding the heart of 50% of his heart surgery patients and saline into the other half to serve as a control, he discovered that of the patients who received the botox, only 7% developed arrhythmias. On the other hand, 30% of the control group developed arrhythmias. Additionally, a year after their operations, 0% of the botox injected group had abnormal heart patterns, compared to 27% of the saline group.
How it Works
Steinburg explains that by injecting botox into the area surrounding the heart, it paralyzes some excitatory signals that are typically sent to the heart after surgery. With fewer excitatory signals around the heart, its rhythm can stabilize more quickly. Not only can Botox be used on heart surgery patients, but Steinburg also believes it may be useful in treating other heart rhythm problems as well.
Dr. Chiuffo and the Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program
Dr. Chiuffo is dedicated to ensuring your heart surgery is successful and that you have a low recovery time. If you have any questions about minimally invasive heart surgery or how botox could help reduce your risk of heart surgery complications, feel free to contact us at (330) 588-4676 or visit our contact page online.
