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.

FDA announces recall of cryoablation catheters after multiple injuries, including 4 deaths
Boston Scientific is recalling the catheters associated with its POLARx Cryoablation System due to a heightened risk of esophageal injury. The FDA has ruled that this a Class I recall.
Cardiologists perform world’s first leadless LBBAP procedures with Abbott pacemaker
The first-in-human procedures were performed in Prague with the investigational Aveir CSP leadless pacemaker system.
President of medical device company resigns over conduct allegations after 7 months in role
Joseph C. Wright, a longtime Merit Medical employee, resigned after unspecified allegations regarding his conduct were brought to light. He was named the company's new president back in May.
FDA and Boston Scientific issue urgent alert about pacemaker failures following 2 deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the recall notice for more than 200,000 pacemakers because a battery issue could lock the device in safe mode.
Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks
While the technology and techniques associated with TAVR have advanced over the years, treating patients who present with baseline atrial fibrillation is still associated with certain risks.

Google researchers use noise-canceling headphones to monitor heart health

The new technique, audioplethysmography, can monitor a user’s heart rate and other physiological signals using headphones equipped with active noice canceling technology. It requires no additional sensors.

October 31, 2023

Holding company acquires heart monitoring specialists Digital Diagnostics Imaging for $11M

DDI currently has contracts with nursing homes and hospitals in 42 states.

October 30, 2023

PARTNER 3, Evolut and more: TAVR takes the spotlight in 4 late-breaking clinical trials at TCT 2023

All eyes were on TAVR during the first round of late-breaking clinical trials at TCT 2023 in San Francisco. Researchers shared key updates related to devices from Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Boston Scientific and JenaValve Technology.

October 25, 2023

Medtronic extravascular ICD Aurora EV-ICD MRI SureScan

FDA approves Medtronic’s extravascular ICD for abnormal heart rhythms

The Aurora EV-ICD MRI SureScan is similar in size and shape to traditional ICDs, but it is implanted outside of the patient’s heart and veins.

October 24, 2023

artificial intelligence robot evaluates healthcare data

AI detects signs of AFib in asymptomatic patients

The study included ECG data from more than 900,000 U.S. veterans.

October 23, 2023

Technology that creates interactive holograms of the heart cleared by FDA

SentiAR's CommandEP interface facilitates 3D models of the heart, made possible through augmented reality.

October 16, 2023

Specialists at Cleveland Clinic treated a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patient with a new gene therapy from Tenaya Therapeutics

Cleveland Clinic treats first patient with new gene therapy for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Researchers hopes this first-in-class gene therapy, known as TN-201, can restore the patient’s MYBPC3 levels and eventually lead to disease reversal.

October 13, 2023

Video of Christina Albert, MD, MPH chair, Department of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai, explaining the changing approaches to sudden cardiac arrest. #SCA #SCD #ESC #ESC23 #ESC2023

Changing approaches to the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest

Preventing sudden cardiac arrest involves managing risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. We spoke to Christine Albert, MD, about this and much more at ESC 2023.

October 9, 2023

Heart Rhythm

FDA announces recall of cryoablation catheters after multiple injuries, including 4 deaths

Cardiologists perform world’s first leadless LBBAP procedures with Abbott pacemaker

President of medical device company resigns over conduct allegations after 7 months in role

FDA and Boston Scientific issue urgent alert about pacemaker failures following 2 deaths

Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks