In light of the controversy surrounding AF drugs like Multaq, study results from 2010 may be able to offer a safer treatment option for the condition. It turns out that a device which uses a catheter-based probe as a way of freezing a small piece of the heart is said to be even safer than drugs like Multaq at curing AF.

The freezing device is said to be able to “provide an alternative to current non-invasive techniques that use radio frequency energy to burn away the tissue.” The device is called the Arctic Front Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System. It uses a balloon filled with a liquid nitrogen that freezes the tissue. According to the study, 69.9 percent of the patients that had the freezing were cured of AF within a year. The study was called “Stop-AF” and was conducted by Dr. Kevin Wheelan of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas and his colleagues at 26 U.S. and Canadian centers.

Doctors have been trying to find a safe treatment for treating AF for years. For a while, they thought that Multaq was going to be a good option — that is, until the drug proved extremely dangerous in clinical trials. For example, the 2011 PALLAS study was halted after patients taking Multaq as a treatment for permanent AF started dying. Many of the patients also experienced worsening of their heart conditions in general. The drug has also been linked to liver failure, which has forced the FDA to issue stricter warnings against Multaq. Because of the dangers linked to Multaq, most doctors won’t prescribe the drug unless other drugs aren’t working. For now, Sanofi-Aventis, the makers of Multaq, is hoping to begin a second clinical trial on its new Ranexa/Multaq combo drug which the company hopes is safer.

If you or a loved one has developed liver failure or a worsening of your heart condition after taking Multaq, contact the attorneys at Greg Jones today for a free consultation. We are experienced at fighting Multaq lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.