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.

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The projected number of acquired cardiomyopathy cases are expected to greatly outpace the number of new familial cardiomyopathy cases by 2031 in the U.S., driven mainly by poor lifestyles. This is expected to have a big impact on healthcare.

U.S. expected to see large rise in cardiomyopathy cases over next decade

“Even if we compensate for the differences in population size, the U.S. is still miles ahead when it comes to total cardiomyopathy cases," explained Walter Gabriel, MPH, an epidemiologist and analyst on the report.

July 7, 2022
View of an Amulet left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder on 4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) from a GE NuVision ICE catheter. Since ICE is operated by the interventionalist, it can be used to reduce the number of people needed to perform an LAA occlusion procedure.  

New LAA occluder technology and the debate on echo vs. CT image guidance

At TVT 2022, there was debate whether CT imaging is needed for preplanning LAA procedures, and several new devices in development were discussed.

July 6, 2022
A transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure being performed at Intermountain Healthcare. Image from Intermountain Healthcare. Sex differences in TAVR one-year mortality.

AFib patients more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure or bleeding following TAVR

The study, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, included data from more than 900 TAVR patients. Overall morality was 22.7% among patients with AFib and 14.4% among patients without AFib.

July 5, 2022
Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center EP lab staff that performed the first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker implant at the hospital. From left is Mark Mascarenhas, MD, Toni Donovan RN, BSN, CVN; Tim StJean, R.N. trainee; Liz Bianchini RN; and Melissa D'Altilio, RN, with the Abbott Aveir DR pacemaker technology. #EPeeps #EPlab #Aveir

Leadless pacemaker technology moves toward dual-chamber pacing

Leadless pacemaker technology is expanding its ability to treat more patients with dual-chamber pacing.

July 5, 2022
Doctor patient

AFib ablation makes financial sense, especially among heart failure patients

The additional costs associated with AFib ablation appear to be justified, researchers wrote.

July 1, 2022
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AFib after surgery could be a warning sign of heart failure

Researchers studied data from more than three million patients, including approximately 76,000 who underwent heart surgery.

June 29, 2022
Two examples of new left atrial appendage occluders (LAAO), the Conformal omn left and the Laminar on the right. evi Nair, MD, FACC, FHRS, director of cardiac electrophysiology at St. Bernard's Healthcare, Jonesboro, Arkansas, explains some of the recent advances in transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion technology at the 2022 Transcatheter Valve Therapeutics (TVT) Structural Heart Summit. #TVT #TVT2020 #LAA #LAAO #EPeeps

VIDEO: Advances in left atrial appendage occlusion technology

Devi Nair, MD, director of cardiac electrophysiology at St. Bernard's Healthcare, Jonesboro, Arkansas, explains some of the recent advances in transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion technology at the 2022 Transcatheter Valve Therapeutics (TVT) Structural Heart Summit.

June 24, 2022
Large peridevice leaks after left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) are incredibly rare and not associated with a greater risk of adverse outcomes, according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.[1] Smaller residual links are more common, however, and associated with a risk of thromboembolic and bleeding events.

What peridevice leaks after LAAO mean for patient health

The study's authors reviewed data from more than 50,000 patients, presenting their findings in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.

June 20, 2022
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