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.

Hydroxychloroquine unable to limit spread, or severity, of COVID-19 after exposure

There are no benefits to treating patients with hydroxychloroquine after they have already been exposed to COVID-19, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

December 7, 2020

AFib patients should limit alcohol consumption—it might just save their life

Drinking too much alcohol in a given week can put AFib patients at an increased risk of stroke, embolism and other significant health issues.

December 3, 2020

82% of AFib patients have undiagnosed sleep apnea, highlighting the importance of screening

Obstructive sleep apnea is known to be a "modifiable risk factor" for recurrent AFib, the authors explained.

December 3, 2020

Another pro athlete, football player Tommy Sweeney, diagnosed with COVID-related myocarditis

A cardiologist detected Sweeney’s condition during a mandatory checkup.

November 25, 2020

Aortic stenosis patients with AFib may experience more complications after valve replacement

The analysis, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, included data from more than 741,000 adult patients with aortic stenosis.

November 24, 2020

Ablation outperforms drug therapy as an initial treatment for atrial fibrillation

Drug therapy is typically recommended for the initial treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation, but new research suggests there could be a more effective way.

November 19, 2020

Fish oil and vitamin D supplements don’t prevent atrial fibrillation

Both supplements are still perfectly safe for patients to take for other reasons, researchers emphasized.

November 13, 2020

COVID-19 patients with abnormal heart rhythms face a greater risk of death

"Patients and physicians need to monitor for these arrhythmias closely and treatments needs to be timely," one researcher warned.

November 11, 2020

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