Sarcoidosis is typically a benign condition that does not require treatment. However, because 25% of all patients with sarcoidosis develop cardiac sarcoidosis, early screening is important.
The goal for treating patients with cardiac sarcoidosis is focused on reducing inflammation and managing the effects on the heart. This can include:
Medications
Prescribed to reduce inflammation (corticosteroids), immunosuppressive drugs, and medication; and to control arrhythmias.
Procedures & Surgery
The goal for treating cardiac sarcoidosis is to reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms. For some patients, surgical intervention is necessary to reach that goal. Examples of surgical therapies include:
- Inserting a pacemaker if a heart rhythm disorder develops
- An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may be inserted in those at risk of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation
- Correcting A-Fib impulses through cardiac ablation. During this procedure, a catheter (a long thin tool guided through vessels to the heart) is used to focus radio waves where the A-Fib impulses originate or spread. This minimally invasive procedure destroys (ablates) or blocks impulses coming from the false pacemaker tissue. In some cases, catheter ablation aims at the pathway between the atria and the ventricles (the A-V node) in order to prevent the ventricles from beating too fast.