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.

USPSTF shares recommendation on screening asymptomatic adults for atrial fibrillation

The organization is accepting public comments on this topic until May 17.

Heart rhythm specialists receive $3.67M to develop new atrial fibrillation treatment

The grant, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is for more than $462,000 at first. An additional $3.21 million can be earned if certain requirements are met.

FDA details Class I recall of nearly 240,000 Medtronic ICDs, CRT-Ds

Medtronic first initiated the recall, which includes a total of 239,171 devices, in February.

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of atrial fibrillation, sudden cardiac death in patients with Type 2 diabetes

Researchers reviewed data from 34 different studies, covering a total of more than 63,000 patients.

New and improved: Hospital updates AFib ablation protocols, improves efficiency

“Value can be defined as delivered care divided by cost,” the specialists wrote. “Ideally, each patient receives the same good quality of care in an equitable, timely way.”

COAPT update: How AFib affects TMVR outcomes

The new analysis, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, focused on data from more than 600 patients who participated in the COAPT trial.

American Indians have an especially high risk of stroke, leaving researchers with many questions

The study included data from nearly 17 million adults who received treatment from 2005 to 2011. Researchers compared the stroke rates of patients with atrial fibrillation and those without it.

AFib and atrial flutter in the United States: 5 key takeaways from a new analysis

The study, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, shines new light on a significant health issue.

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