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.

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.
FDA grants anticoagulant its orphan drug designation for treating patients with implanted devices
The anticoagulant was originally developed for patients with end-stage renal disease and atrial fibrillation.

‘Notably high’ rates of PTSD, depression and anxiety seen in patients with implantable heart devices

3-step antibiotic strategy may reduce CIED infections

Administering antibiotics incrementally in the perioperative stage has the potential to modestly reduce infections related to cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), according to a study presented May 10 at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual scientific sessions in Boston.

May 11, 2018

Previously Invisible Long QT Syndrome Now Observable With Machine Learning

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 10, 2018 — AliveCor, the leader in artificial intelligence and FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology, today announced an important milestone in its work with Mayo Clinic on Long QT Syndrome (LQTS).

May 11, 2018

PTSD linked to higher AFib risk in young veterans

An analysis of more than one million post-9/11 veterans suggests a new diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with a greater likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). The study is scheduled to be presented May 11 at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual scientific sessions in Boston.

May 10, 2018

Watchman implantation in AFib patients cost-effective for recurrent stroke prevention

Occluding the left atrial appendage with the Watchman device proved to be a cost-effective strategy for the secondary prevention of stroke among patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to an analysis published in Stroke.

May 10, 2018

Medtronic’s Micra pacemaker associated with few complications in real-world analysis

Medtronic’s Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) demonstrated a major complication rate of 2.7 percent through one year, according to data from a post-approval registry that will be presented May 10 at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual scientific sessions in Boston.

May 9, 2018

Bardy Diagnostics™ Announces Validation of AI-Enabled Automatic Screening Technology for Atrial Fibrillation

SEATTLE, May 9, 2018 — Bardy Diagnostics, Inc., ("BardyDx"), a leading provider of ambulatory cardiac monitoring technologies and custom data solutions, including the Carnation Ambulatory Monitor ("CAM™"), the world's only P-wave centric™ ambulatory cardiac patch monitor and arrhythmia detection device, presented a poster today titled "Artificial Intelligence for the Automatic Detection of Atrial Fibrillation" at the Heart Rhythm Society 39th Annual Scientific Sessions that described a validated artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) screening technology to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) events.

May 9, 2018

First Cardiac Procedure Using the AcQMap® System by Acutus Medical® Successfully Performed in the United States

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 8, 2018 — Acutus Medical®, a global heart rhythm technology company, today announced that the AcQMap® High Resolution Imaging and Mapping System has been utilized for the first time in U.S. patients.

May 8, 2018

Penn Medicine performs 1st ablation with imaging aid in US

An intraoperative imaging and mapping system designed to aid in the ablation of complex cardiac arrhythmias was successfully used for the first time in the United States, according to an article distributed by Penn Medicine.

May 4, 2018

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Heart Rhythm

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

FDA grants anticoagulant its orphan drug designation for treating patients with implanted devices

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