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.

Heart attack deaths are way down after decades of breakthroughs—but other risks have skyrocketed
Researchers explored more than 52 years of data, highlighting several key trends in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Atraverse Medical raises $29M to support FDA-approved heart tech
The San Diego-based startup gained FDA approval for its Hotwire RF guidewire in 2024. The technology has already been used to perform hundreds of heart procedures.
Judge triples damages in antitrust lawsuit, ordering Johnson & Johnson MedTech to pay $442M
A bad outcome for Johnson & Johnson MedTech just got worse. A jury previously ordered the company to pay $147M, but the new total is $442M.
AFib ablation during CABG improves survival
Clinical guidelines already recommend that these procedures be performed together when applicable. However, researchers noted, it is still not terribly common among today’s surgeons.
How anticoagulants may impact a patient’s risk of gastrointestinal bleeding after TAVR
Researchers tracked the rates of major gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with AFib randomized to receive edoxaban or a vitamin K antagonist after a successful TAVR procedure.

Heart attack deaths are way down after decades of breakthroughs—but other risks have skyrocketed

Researchers explored more than 52 years of data, highlighting several key trends in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Atraverse Medical raises $29M to support FDA-approved heart tech

The San Diego-based startup gained FDA approval for its Hotwire RF guidewire in 2024. The technology has already been used to perform hundreds of heart procedures.

court judge gavel business man bankruptcy lawsuit

Judge triples damages in antitrust lawsuit, ordering Johnson & Johnson MedTech to pay $442M

A bad outcome for Johnson & Johnson MedTech just got worse. A jury previously ordered the company to pay $147M, but the new total is $442M.

CABG coronary artery bypass grafting heart surgery

AFib ablation during CABG improves survival

Clinical guidelines already recommend that these procedures be performed together when applicable. However, researchers noted, it is still not terribly common among today’s surgeons.

How anticoagulants may impact a patient’s risk of gastrointestinal bleeding after TAVR

Researchers tracked the rates of major gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with AFib randomized to receive edoxaban or a vitamin K antagonist after a successful TAVR procedure.

SoundStar Crystal Ultrasound Catheter Johnson & Johnson MedTech

Johnson & Johnson MedTech launches new 2D ICE catheter

The company says the new device was designed to improve image quality, provide additional maneuverability and simplify ablation workflows for electrophysiologists.

money court scale of justice ruling legal settlement

Johnson & Johnson MedTech ordered to pay $147M for antitrust violations

The company told Cardiovascular Business it respectfully disagrees with the jury's decision and is evaluating all possible legal options going forward. The Association of Medical Device Reprocessors, meanwhile, celebrated the news.

Cardiologists are first in world to use new cooling device to terminate AFib during surgery

Patients often develop AFib during cardiac surgery, leading to longer hospital stays, additional healthcare costs and a higher risk of mortality. Cooling the oblique sinus of the patient's heart as soon as AFib starts to develop may represent a new way to stop the problem in its tracks.