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.

Antibiotic-eluting envelop reduces risk of CIED infections by 40%

A mesh envelope embedded with antibiotics cut the risk of major device-related infections by 40 percent when placed around cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) like pacemakers and defibrillators, researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

March 22, 2019

Simplified AFib ablation saves time, money without sacrificing quality

A catheter ablation protocol for atrial fibrillation (AFib) including only “the bare essentials” of the procedure delivered similar outcomes as a more involved strategy featuring pulmonary vein mapping, according to research presented at EHRA 2019.

March 19, 2019

Apixaban, clopidogrel a safe combo for ACS patients with AFib

NEW ORLEANS — An antithrombotic regimen of apixaban plus a P2Y12 inhibitor such as clopidogrel lowered bleeding events and hospitalizations compared to warfarin plus clopidogrel in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to results of the AUGUSTUS trial.

March 18, 2019

Critics concerned FDA is playing cheerleader during Apple’s health push

The Apple Watch’s FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (ECG) feature has already helped some people uncover undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, leading to necessary medical treatment. But cardiologists fear false positives may be the more common occurrence in low-risk individuals, potentially leading to unnecessary testing and emotional strain in those users, according to Politico.

March 5, 2019

Consistent with ‘obesity paradox,’ overweight AF patients see lower odds of death, stroke

A study published Feb. 14 in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests obese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) fare better in terms of mortality and stroke events than their non-obese counterparts—a finding that’s in line with the much-contested “obesity paradox."

February 20, 2019

Black patients see lower AFib risk with ICDs than whites

Black Medicare beneficiaries with implanted cardiac devices (ICDs) face a lower risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) than their white counterparts, despite a higher overall burden of vascular risk factors and a greater risk of stroke, researchers reported Feb. 11 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

February 14, 2019

His-optimized CRT improves electrical resynchronization in advanced HF patients

His-optimized cardiac resynchronization therapy successfully narrowed QRS duration, improved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction and heightened functionality in 27 patients with advanced heart failure (HF), according to a study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

February 12, 2019

Lifetime risk of sudden cardiac death ‘significantly higher’ in blacks than whites

The lifetime cumulative risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is much higher in black patients than in whites, according to an analysis of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study published in Circulation Feb. 4.

February 5, 2019

Around the web

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

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

Radiology Business

What does radiology have to do with climate change?

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."

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

Around the web