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.

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.
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.

NIH allocates minimal funding to cardiac arrest research

Research that will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Science Symposium in Philadelphia this month suggests the National Institutes of Health invests far less money in cardiac arrest research than in research for other conditions, including diabetes, drug-use disorders and ischemic heart disease.

November 14, 2019

Taller people at greater risk for AFib

Taller people might be at an increased risk for atrial fibrillation, according to research set for presentation at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions on Nov. 16.

November 13, 2019

Benefits of anticoagulation decrease with age in AFib patients

The net clinical benefit of anticoagulants like warfarin and apixaban slows over time in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes study, diminishing as people age and face competing risks of death.

November 12, 2019

AFib patients most likely to discontinue dabigatran during first 6 months of treatment

Nearly three-quarters of atrial fibrillation patients taking dabigatran remain adherent to the medication two years after filling their first prescription, while just over 25% discontinue the drug for various reasons, according to an analysis published in the American Journal of Cardiology.

November 8, 2019

Mechanical CPR gaining popularity despite lack of evidence

The U.S. is seeing an uptick in the use of mechanical resuscitation devices despite a paucity of evidence that the digitized CPR tools are effective, researchers reported in JAMA Network Open this fall.

November 7, 2019

Defibrillation testing losing ground as a safety check for ICDs

A cross-sectional study of heart patients undergoing ICD implantation revealed a marked decline in the use of defibrillation testing over time in the U.S., suggesting the precaution might be losing its value as a clinical tool.

November 4, 2019

Early mortality ‘a very real complication’ after catheter ablation of AFib

A study of patients undergoing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation between 2010 and 2015 found that early post-ablation mortality rates increased over the half-decade, reaching 1.35% per quarter by the end of the research period.

October 30, 2019

Atrial fibrillation risk may be higher in American Indians

A study of 300,000 new cases of atrial fibrillation indicates that American Indians may be more prone to the condition than patients in other racial and ethnic groups.

October 24, 2019

Heart Rhythm

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

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