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.

SCAI shares thorough guidance on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

The Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) has shared a new guidance detailing the management of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

May 15, 2020
ECG

AI model reduces false-positive findings detected by implantable loop recorders

An AI algorithm could limit false-positive AFib episodes detected by implantable loop recorders (ILRs), according to new research presented during the 2020 Heart Rhythm Scientific Sessions.

May 15, 2020

PRECEPT study finds contact force-sensing catheters safe for treating persistent AFib

The findings were originally scheduled to be presented at the Heart Rhythm Society’s 2020 Heart Rhythm Scientific Sessions.

May 11, 2020
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Latest study suggests hydroxychloroquine makes minimal impact as COVID-19 treatment

The potential use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 has been one of the biggest stories of the current pandemic.

May 8, 2020

No increased risk of infection with recycled pacemakers and defibrillators

Researchers studied data from 1,051 patients who received resterilized pacemakers and defibrillators, sharing their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine.

May 8, 2020
Hypertension patients measured their blood pressure less frequently during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research published in Hypertension. In addition, when those patients did measure their blood pressure, the readings were less healthy than they had been before the pandemic.

A potential risk: New studies highlight the connection between treating COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine and QTc prolongation

Treating COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine, alone or in combination with azithromycin, is associated with an increased risk of QTc prolongation, according to two new studies published in JAMA Cardiology.

May 5, 2020

Novartis launches FDA-approved study involving hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, COVID-19 patients

Novartis is launching a new clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine.

April 30, 2020
Covid coronavirus

Treating COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, leads to more deaths

In addition to these latest findings, a NIH-backed panel is now specifically recommending against the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for treating COVID-19 patients.

April 22, 2020

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

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