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.

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38% of AFib patients feel ‘trapped’ between risks of stroke, anticoagulants

Atrial fibrillation patients are acutely aware of their five-fold increased risk of stroke, new research from StopAfib.org suggests—and 38 percent report feeling “trapped” between their fear of having a stroke and the major bleeding risks associated with anticoagulants.

Study: 89% of athletes survive cardiac arrest with AED use

It’s well-known that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be a life-saving tool to treat cardiac arrhythmias, but a new study from the University of Washington underscores just how crucial accessible AEDs can be during competitive sporting events.

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Edoxaban more effective than warfarin in Latin American patients with AFib

The direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) edoxaban is superior to warfarin for mitigating stroke risk in Latin American patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to results of the ENGAGE AF-TIMI trial.

Warfarin vs DOACs: What’s the best indicator for a switch?

Optimal candidates for a switch from vitamin K antagonists like warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have long been identified by a single statistic—time-in-therapeutic range—but a recent Danish analysis of anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation patients suggests the marker might be less insightful than previously thought.

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‘Cardioskin’ T-shirt tracks heart rhythm around the clock

French pharmaceutical company Servier has partnered with Bioserenity to launch a “smart T-shirt” they’re calling the Cardioskin—a wearable innovation that would allow heart patients to monitor their cardiac rhythm throughout the day, the Daily Mail has reported.

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Personalized 3D model of hearts can help locate, treat arrhythmia

Scientists hope personalized data from patients experiencing irregular heartbeats will help improve accuracy in heart ablation procedures. The 3D simulations of 21 patients allow physicians to locate arrhythmia by “poking” the simulated heart with small electrical signals in various locations.

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Next-gen Apple Watch will come with built-in EKG

The Apple Watch Series 4—the device’s first major update since its introduction to the market three years ago—will feature an electrocardiogram in addition to its existing heart rate monitor, the Verge reported this week.

82% of firefighters who die of cardiac arrest have CHD, enlarged hearts

The majority of firefighters who die from cardiac arrest while on duty have underlying coronary heart disease (CHD) and an enlarged heart, including left ventricular hypertrophy, according to a study of autopsy data published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

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