Defibrillator Patients Who Lose Weight May Fare Worse THURSDAY,
March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Heart patients who have an
implantable defibrillator known as a CRT-D and who
unintentionally lose even a few pounds fare worse than those who
do not lose weight, according to a new study. Although it would
seem that people with heart failure who are overweight or obese
would do better by losing weight, previous research has found
that obese patients with heart failure do better overall than
those who aren't obese, said study author Dr. Valentina Kutyifa,
a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Rochester
Medical Center, in New York. To further understand that paradox,
Kutyifa's team looked at the effects of unintended weight loss
in patients with the CRT-D. The implanted device works by
sending out small electronic impulses to correct the heart's
rhythm. It also improves the ability of the heart to pump blood,
which is a problem in those with congestive heart failure. When
dangerous rhythms are detected,