Heart shock therapy put to the test: Placebo-Controlled trial reveals true impact on daily life

NCT ID NCT05136131

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study compares electrical cardioversion—a procedure that delivers a shock to restore normal heart rhythm—to a sham version where no shock is given. Researchers want to see if the real procedure truly improves quality of life in people with persistent atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder. One hundred participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the real shock or the sham, and their quality of life will be measured using a standard survey.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: electrical cardioversion
What this could lead to: If it works, this could confirm that restoring normal heart rhythm with cardioversion meaningfully improves quality of life for people with persistent atrial fibrillation.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage trial with only 100 participants. The sham control may reveal that the perceived benefit is partly due to a placebo effect, and results may not apply to all AF patients.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

atrial fibrillation persistent atrial fibrillation

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Southlake Health
RECRUITING

Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 2P9, Canada
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
RECRUITING

Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada

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