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.

Johnson & Johnson pauses use of FDA-approved PFA system to investigate patient complications
Johnson & Johnson MedTech's Varipulse PFA system has been linked to multiple reports of "neurovascular events" in patients. The company hopes to share more information in the days ahead.
History made: Young child treated with new heart device for very first time
A care team in Illinois has performed the first heart procedure of its kind on a two-year-old patient diagnosed with Brugada syndrome.
ACC offers practical approaches for arrhythmia monitoring after stroke
The American College of Cardiology published an expert consensus on practical approaches for arrhythmia monitoring after stroke to improve post-stroke care by identifying and managing atrial fibrillation.
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.

Medtronic gains expanded FDA approval for Arctic Front cryoablation catheters

The full Arctic Front line is now approved as a first-line treatment for heart rhythm issues.

June 22, 2021

Time for a change? AFib patients may want to stop drinking alcohol

Alcohol consumption is associated with a heightened risk of stroke among patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation.

June 18, 2021

How different cancer types impact a person's AFib risk

The study's authors examined data from more than 816,000 patients who were diagnosed with cancer from 2009 to 2016.

June 17, 2021

American College of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society launch new efforts to boost AFib care in underserved areas

The new collaboration is designed to help clinicians reach and treat AFib patients in communities that don't always receive the most attention.

June 17, 2021

AFib patients are missing out on the care they need

The study, published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, included data from more than 3,000 patients.

June 14, 2021

Long-term cardiac monitoring detects unsuspected AFib among stroke patients

After 12 months, AFib detection was much higher in stroke patients treated with an insertable cardiac monitor than those who received usual care.

June 2, 2021

Yes, Apple’s iPhone can interfere with implantable cardiac devices—here’s what you should know

This issue “has the potential to inhibit lifesaving therapies,” according to a new analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

June 2, 2021

Cardiac arrest numbers highlight the pandemic’s long-term impact on patient care

Researchers will be tracking COVID-19's impact on healthcare for many years to come.

May 27, 2021

Heart Rhythm

Johnson & Johnson pauses use of FDA-approved PFA system to investigate patient complications

History made: Young child treated with new heart device for very first time

ACC offers practical approaches for arrhythmia monitoring after stroke

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

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