Methods, systems and devices for treating cardiac arrhythmias

1. A method of treating a patient comprising:

selecting a patient having a cardiac valve requiring treatment; and

creating a flow pathway between a first vascular location in an artery selected from the group consisting of an aorta, an axillary artery, a brachial artery, an ulnar artery, a radial artery, a profundal artery, a femoral artery, an iliac artery, a popliteal artery, and a carotid artery and a second vascular location in a vein selected from the group consisting of an inferior vena cava, a saphenous vein, a femoral vein, an iliac vein, a popliteal vein, a brachial vein, a basilica vein, a cephalic vein, a medial forearm vein, a medial cubital vein, an axillary vein, and a jugular vein;

wherein the method is constructed and arranged to treat a cardiac structure comprising a cardiac valve and to reduce a patient parameter selected from a group consisting of peripheral vascular resistance, left ventricular pre-load, left ventricular pressure, left atrial volume, left atrial stretching: and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method treats regurgitation of a cardiac valve selected from the group consisting of: mitral valve; aortic valve;

and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method treats a patient cardiac valve condition selected from the group consisting of: valve regurgitation; valve insufficiency; chronic high left heart pressures; and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow pathway comprises an anatomical location relatively proximate to a kidney of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow pathway comprises an anatomical location positioned at a location that comprises an infrarenal anatomical location.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first vascular location comprises an artery.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow pathway comprises an anatomical location positioned at a location that comprises a supra-renal anatomical location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first vascular location comprises an artery.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first vascular location comprises a chamber of the heart.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first vascular location comprises the left atrium and the second vascular location comprises the right atrium.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first vascular location comprises the left ventricle and the second vascular location comprises the coronary sinus.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein further comprising performing a valvuloplasty procedure on the cardiac valve.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dilating the flow pathway.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dilation is performed by inflating a balloon in the flow pathway.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dilation is performed at a diameter between 3 mm and 5 mm.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the dilation is performed at a diameter of approximately 4 mm.

17. A method of treating a patient comprising:

selecting a patient having a cardiac valve requiring treatment; and

creating a flow pathway between a first vascular location in an artery selected from the group consisting of an aorta, an axillary artery, a brachial artery, an ulnar artery, a radial artery, a profundal artery, a femoral artery, an iliac artery, a popliteal artery; and a carotid artery and a second vascular location in a vein selected from the group consisting of an inferior vena cava, a saphenous vein, a femoral vein, an iliac vein, a popliteal vein; a brachial vein, a basilica vein, a cephalic vein, a medial forearm vein, a medial cubital vein, an axillary vein, and a jugular vein; and

performing a valvuloplasty procedure on the cardiac valve.