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.

Catheter ablation tops medication alone for treating AFib—but the risk of complications remains

Catheter ablation is associated with better outcomes for AFib patients, researchers noted, but beginning treatment with just antiarrhythmic medications may be the most practical option. 

April 29, 2021

Foot doctors ID undiagnosed atrial fibrillation in patients with diabetes

Overall, the researchers found, 17% of study participants had undiagnosed AFib.

April 27, 2021
Marijuana use among older adults is associated with a heightened risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, according to new research published in the American Journal of Cardiology. “Marijuana use increases sympathetic nervous system activity and inhibits cardiac parasympathetic innervation, resulting in elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and an increase in myocardial oxygen demand.

Marijuana users with heart rhythm issues risk a ‘devastating outcome’

Marijuana users with a cardiac arrhythmia may face a heightened risk of in-hospital mortality, new research suggests. 

April 23, 2021
The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have collaborated on a new update to the much-discussed 2021 chest pain guidelines. The American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions also contributed to the document.

USPSTF shares recommendation on screening asymptomatic adults for atrial fibrillation

The organization is accepting public comments on this topic until May 17.

April 20, 2021
According to calculations comparing catheter ablation with drug therapy, the additional quality-adjusted life-years that can result from the treatment justify its increased costs. 

Heart rhythm specialists receive $3.67M to develop new atrial fibrillation treatment

The grant, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is for more than $462,000 at first. An additional $3.21 million can be earned if certain requirements are met. 

April 19, 2021
Product Recall

FDA details Class I recall of nearly 240,000 Medtronic ICDs, CRT-Ds

Medtronic first initiated the recall, which includes a total of 239,171 devices, in February.

April 15, 2021
Even patients who were never hospitalized for COVID-19 face a heightened risk of cardiovascular issues. #longcovid

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of atrial fibrillation, sudden cardiac death in patients with Type 2 diabetes

Researchers reviewed data from 34 different studies, covering a total of more than 63,000 patients.

April 8, 2021

New and improved: Hospital updates AFib ablation protocols, improves efficiency

“Value can be defined as delivered care divided by cost,” the specialists wrote. “Ideally, each patient receives the same good quality of care in an equitable, timely way.”

March 30, 2021

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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