Atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heartbeat irregularity, may be reduced with thyroid hormones, a new study finds.
About 2.7 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, which raises stroke risk by four-to-five fold.
In a study, researchers from the New York Institute of Technology found that thyroid hormone given to rats reduced irregular heartbeat.
The study raises the prospect that thyroid hormones, natural substances, could be an alternative treatment for atrial fibrillation in humans. Until now, doctors have avoided prescribing thyroid hormones to heart patients.
Dr. Youhua Zhang, the lead researcher, in the paper, which was published in Journal of Heart Failure, said: "Our data highlights the potential clinical importance of correcting thyroid dysfunction to prevent cardiac arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation in heart failure.
“In other words, withholding thyroid hormone treatment in heart failure may do harm when cardiac hormone levels are below normal,” he added.
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