Acupuncture combined with amiodarone, a standard anti-arrhythmic drug, seems more effective at preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation, than does the drug alone. A Chinese team randomised 85 patients into acupuncture and control groups. Both groups used the drug from day one after the ablation, but additionally the acupuncture group received daily needling for seven days afterwards.
After three months, the rate of atrial fibrillation recurrence in the acupuncture group was 12%, compared with 33% in the control group. Serum inflammatory markers were elevated in both groups after ablation but the acupuncture group displayed significantly lower levels.
(Effect of acupuncture at Neiguan point combined with amiodarone therapy on early recurrence after pulmonary vein electrical isolation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 24 March 2019.)