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.

P‐waves can help identify Black patients prone to developing AFib
Research that followed patients for more than 13 years suggests increases in ECG PR interval, P‐wave duration and PTFV1 are associated with increased AFib risk in this cohort.
New-onset AFib is common after CABG—but typically not persistent or symptomatic
The study's authors questioned if these patients should even be given oral anticoagulation as currently recommended.
Field Medical’s PFA system for ventricular tachycardia shows early potential
More research is still required, but Field Medical's FieldForce Ablation System may represent a significant step forward in the treatment of scar-related ventricular tachycardia.
Medtech companies working together on robotic PFA system
Stereotaxis and CardioFocus are collaborating on a new robotic pulsed field ablation system. After completing some initial research, the companies are now working toward the launch of a clinical trial.
Q&A: What cardiologists know and don’t know about pulsed field ablation
Peter Weiss, MD, a veteran electrophysiologist, sat down with Cardiovascular Business to discuss the ongoing rise of pulsed field ablation. While he's impressed with the technology, he says many questions remain about its long-term value.

Rest easy, heart patients—sudden cardiac death rarely happens during sex

Just 0.2% of cases evaluated in the study were tied to sexual intercourse.

Philips pledges to help American Heart Association raise awareness about CIED infections

A majority of patients in the United States with CIED infections do not receive proper, guideline-approved care.

FDA clears new cardiac mapping solution for treating arrhythmias

The platform provides users with full 3D maps of a patient's heart.

Apixaban linked to lower bleeding risk than rivaroxaban for patients with nonvalvular AFib

A new meta-analysis compared outcomes associated with the two popular DOACs.

DOACs underprescribed among high-risk AFib patients

The study found that frail patients with AFib are less likely to be treated with DOAC therapy.

Metoprolol demonstrates value as a treatment for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The small study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, compared patient outcomes associated with metoprolol and a placebo.

‘Surprising’ trends in ICD use among HCM patients

ICD use among this patient population is slowly growing, but some key disparities remain.

Predicting AFib recurrence after catheter ablation remains a challenge

Researchers evaluated 11 different prediction models, and each one fell short.

Heart Rhythm

P‐waves can help identify Black patients prone to developing AFib

New-onset AFib is common after CABG—but typically not persistent or symptomatic

Field Medical’s PFA system for ventricular tachycardia shows early potential

Medtech companies working together on robotic PFA system

Q&A: What cardiologists know and don’t know about pulsed field ablation