Metabolic treatment for atrial fibrillation
Metabolic therapy for atrial fibrillation
This project will try a metabolism-based treatment to reduce atrial fibrillation episodes and slow disease progression in people with AF, especially those with obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170764 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have AF, this research looks at whether changing heart and whole-body metabolism can lower how often AF happens and prevent it from getting worse. The team will link metabolic risk factors like obesity, diabetes, alcohol use, and high blood pressure to rhythm outcomes and responses to standard treatments such as ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs. They plan to test metabolic interventions alongside usual care and track heart rhythm, symptoms, and recurrence over time. The work aims to identify practical metabolic approaches that could be added to current AF care to reduce recurrences.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with symptomatic atrial fibrillation, particularly those with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or who have had or are considering catheter ablation.
Not a fit: People without atrial fibrillation, those with lone AF and no metabolic risk factors, or those with longstanding permanent AF may be less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce AF recurrences, lower the need for repeat ablation or risky antiarrhythmic drugs, and improve quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Lifestyle and risk-factor management trials (for example weight-loss programs) have reduced AF burden, but therapies that directly target cardiac metabolism are relatively new and have limited clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundaram, Varun — Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn
- Study coordinator: Sundaram, Varun
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.