What type of therapy is associated with cardiac resynchronization in heart failure treatment?

Biventricular pacing is a type of therapy specifically designed to improve synchrony of the heart's contractions in patients with heart failure, particularly those with ventricular dyssynchrony, which is often identified by a prolonged QRS duration on an ECG. This approach employs a pacing device that stimulates both the right and left ventricles simultaneously, leading to more coordinated myocardial contractions.

In patients with heart failure, particularly those with a reduced ejection fraction, the heart's chambers may not contract effectively at the same time, contributing to decreased cardiac output and worsening symptoms. By employing biventricular pacing, the therapy aims to restore more effective synchronous contractions, which can improve symptoms, increase exercise tolerance, and enhance overall quality of life.

In contrast, other therapies mentioned, such as mechanical ventilation, may be used in acute heart failure management but do not serve to synchronize contractions. Transcutaneous pacing is typically a temporary measure used in acute situations and does not constitute a long-term solution like biventricular pacing. Cardiac ablation is utilized to treat arrhythmias rather than improve heart failure symptoms directly and does not focus on resynchronizing the cardiac cycle. Thus, biventricular pacing is the clear choice for cardiac resynchronization therapy in