Heart Rhythm

Hearts should have normal rhythm to their beats, but when these beats are out of synch, it causes inefficient pumping of blood. Irregular heart arrhythmias occur when the electrical signals that coordinate the heart's beats do not work properly. This can cause beats that are too fast (tachycardia), or too slow (bradycardia). Tachycardias include atrial fibrillation (AFib), supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia (VT). Bradycardias include sick sinus syndrome and conduction block. Electrophysiology arrhythmia treatments include medications, life style changes, and the EP lab interventions of catheter ablation, and implantable pacemakers or defibrillators.

Apple Watch AFib feature becomes first-ever digital tool approved by FDA to evaluate medical devices
Healthcare technology companies can now use AFib findings recorded by an Apple Watch to help demonstrate the effectiveness of their devices to the FDA.
Confirmed: AFib ablation more beneficial for patients with HFrEF than those with HFpEF
Researchers explored data from nearly 2,500 AFib ablation patients, sharing their findings in JAMA Cardiology.
American Heart Association thinks pharmacists can play a bigger role in AFib care
Pharmacists interact with patients on a regular basis and are seen as a trusted source of health information. Can they help cardiologists improve care for AFib patients?
2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life
Stroke is typically seen as the biggest danger for patients after they receive an AFib diagnosis. This study, however, suggests heart failure could be an even bigger threat.
FDA grants fast track designation to new drug for Friedreich's ataxia cardiomyopathy
The new gene therapy candidate is now one step closer to being approved by the FDA.

DAPT plus DOAC cuts bleeding risk in AFib patients with history of MI, PCI

In patients with atrial fibrillation who have experienced MI or undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), treatment with a combination of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) could significantly decrease the risk of bleeding and other major thromboembolic events, according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

October 3, 2018

Delayed transvenous lead removal may boost risk of tricuspid regurgitation

Increases in tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity occurred in 11.5 percent of patients following transvenous lead extraction, according to a single-center study, which also identified lead age as an important predictor of acute TR increases and tricuspid valve injury.

October 2, 2018

OHCA survival varies 1.5-fold from one EMS agency to next

A patient’s odds of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) fluctuate an average of 56 percent from one emergency medical services (EMS) agency to another, researchers reported Sept. 26 in JAMA Cardiology.

October 2, 2018

TCT.18: Anticipated OAC-ALONE results ‘underpowered, inconclusive’

OAC-ALONE, the first randomized trial to test the efficacy of oral anticoagulation (OAC) alone against combined OAC and a single antiplatelet agent (APT) in patients with atrial fibrillation and stable coronary artery disease, was unable to establish noninferiority of OACs to dual therapy, according to data presented at the 30th annual TCT conference in San Diego.

September 24, 2018

OHCA protocol with angiography, therapeutic cooling slashes mortality rates

A strict protocol mandating coronary angiography and therapeutic hypothermia contributed to “startling” improvements in survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), researchers reported in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

September 21, 2018

38% of AFib patients feel ‘trapped’ between risks of stroke, anticoagulants

Atrial fibrillation patients are acutely aware of their five-fold increased risk of stroke, new research from StopAfib.org suggests—and 38 percent report feeling “trapped” between their fear of having a stroke and the major bleeding risks associated with anticoagulants.

September 21, 2018

Study: 89% of athletes survive cardiac arrest with AED use

It’s well-known that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be a life-saving tool to treat cardiac arrhythmias, but a new study from the University of Washington underscores just how crucial accessible AEDs can be during competitive sporting events.

September 21, 2018

Edoxaban more effective than warfarin in Latin American patients with AFib

The direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) edoxaban is superior to warfarin for mitigating stroke risk in Latin American patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to results of the ENGAGE AF-TIMI trial.

September 19, 2018

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Heart Rhythm

Apple Watch AFib feature becomes first-ever digital tool approved by FDA to evaluate medical devices

Confirmed: AFib ablation more beneficial for patients with HFrEF than those with HFpEF

American Heart Association thinks pharmacists can play a bigger role in AFib care

2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life

FDA grants fast track designation to new drug for Friedreich's ataxia cardiomyopathy

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