The 2024 MedTech Conference in Toronto, Canada, featured a compelling patient story from Olympic medallist Connor Fitzpatrick, who recounted his battle with atrial fibrillation (AFib) as a young and highly athletic individual. Involving a permanent treatment with cardiac ablation, his journey with AFib highlights the role of medical technology in sports cardiology, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Interviewed by James Brody, general manager at Johnson & Johnson, Fitzpatrick’s story highlighted an increasingly recognized phenomenon: AFib, traditionally associated with older adults or those with underlying health issues, is becoming more prevalent among younger, physically active people. According to GlobalData, approximately 36 million people worldwide deal with AFib, with athletes representing less than 5% of prevalent cases,
Joselia Carlos, Senior Medical Device Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “It is concerning to hear that young and athletic individuals like Fitzpatrick are being diagnosed with AFib, a condition typically known as the disease of the ageing. Emerging studies have shown that athletes, particularly those in endurance sports, face a higher risk of developing AFib due to excessive exercise-induced cardiac remodelling.”
Fitzpatrick initially underwent cardio aversion therapy following his diagnosis to reset his heart rhythm. While the therapy provided temporary relief, allowing him to compete in the PanAm Games, his AFib symptoms recurred shortly afterward. This led him to pursue a more permanent solution: cardiac ablation. After just two weeks of recovery, Fitzpatrick was back in training, ready to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Carlos continues: “The AFib market has seen a surge in new treatment options, largely driven by advancements in electrophysiology devices such as the novel technology pulsed-field ablation (PFA). Ablation procedures have become the gold standard in AFib treatment, especially for patients like Fitzpatrick, who require long-term solutions to continue competing at an elite level.”
According to GlobalData’s forecasts, cardiac ablation procedures are set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% between 2024 and 2033. PFA, a novel technology that creates non-thermal lesions to correct arrhythmias, has already made waves in the medical community. Boston Scientific’s Farapulse and Medtronic’s PulseSelect have received FDA approval, and GlobalData predicts that within PFA’s first year of commercialization, it will be used to treat 10% of eligible AFib patients.
Carlos concludes: “The future of AFib treatment is bright, with new ablation technologies leading the way. For patients like Fitzpatrick, these advancements ensure that AFib does not have to mean the end of their athletic ambitions.”
