For Patients
Understanding your heart condition and this clinical trial in plain language.
Understanding your heart condition and this clinical trial in plain language.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder. In AF, the heart's upper chambers (the atria) beat irregularly and often too fast, instead of in a steady, coordinated rhythm. This can reduce how effectively your heart pumps blood to the rest of your body.
AF is especially common in people over age 65 and is closely linked to risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and existing heart disease.
Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) is a type of heart failure where the heart pumps normally — with an ejection fraction of 50% or higher — but the heart muscle has become stiff and does not fill with blood properly between beats.
Because the heart cannot fill efficiently, fluid can build up in the lungs, legs, and abdomen. HFpEF is very common, affecting roughly 30 to 40 percent of all heart failure patients, and is particularly frequent in older adults. In this trial, we focus on patients with NYHA Class II or III symptoms — meaning noticeable limitations during everyday physical activity.
When these two conditions occur at the same time, each one makes the other worse — creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
Despite how common this combination is, no large-scale study has yet shown whether treating the heart rhythm problem with catheter ablation — on top of the best heart failure medications — can improve outcomes. CABANA-HF is designed to answer that question.
Every participant receives excellent medical care. The study compares two strategies to find out which approach gives the best results.
Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure in which thin, flexible tubes (catheters) are guided through a blood vessel to the heart. The catheters deliver energy to treat the small areas of heart tissue that are causing the irregular rhythm.
GDMT means receiving the best available medications for heart failure, chosen based on the latest clinical guidelines. These medications have been shown to help the heart work more effectively, reduce fluid buildup, and improve symptoms.
Here is what you should know about how CABANA-HF works, explained in plain language.
Answers to the questions patients and families ask most often.
To be eligible, you must be 18 or older and have both atrial fibrillation and heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction.
For your atrial fibrillation, you need:
For your heart failure, you need:
In addition, you need at least one of the following:
Some health conditions would make this trial unsafe or unsuitable for you — for example, severe valve disease, certain other heart rhythm problems, a recent heart attack or heart surgery, or a reason you cannot take blood thinners. Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant cannot take part.
Your study team will review all the criteria with you in detail.
You will receive the best available heart failure medications, carefully optimized by your medical team according to the latest clinical guidelines. This is excellent, evidence-based care.
Crossover to the ablation group is strongly discouraged during the study period, because allowing crossovers would make it very difficult to determine which treatment strategy truly works better. Maintaining this separation is essential to the scientific integrity of the trial and to getting a clear answer that will help future patients.
Active follow-up continues for 2 or more years after you are enrolled. During this time, you will have regular visits with your study team every 3 to 6 months. These visits include check-ups, heart rhythm monitoring, and assessments of how you are feeling.
All medical treatments carry some degree of risk. Catheter ablation risks may include bleeding at the catheter insertion site, infection, or temporary changes in heart rhythm. These complications are uncommon, and the procedure is performed by experienced specialists.
Medication risks depend on the specific drugs prescribed and may include side effects such as dizziness, changes in blood pressure, or kidney function changes. Your medical team will monitor you closely and adjust medications as needed.
Before you agree to participate, the study team will discuss all potential risks and benefits with you in detail as part of the informed consent process.
Compensation and travel support vary by study site. Please discuss the specifics with your local study team, who can provide details about what support is available at your location.
Ensuring that the patient perspective is at the center of everything we do.
Clinical trials work best when they reflect the communities they aim to serve. CABANA-HF is committed to making this study accessible, inclusive, and responsive to patient needs at every step.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and heart failure, we would like to hear from you. Reach out to learn more about the CABANA-HF trial.
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