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.

FDA shares details about reprocessed catheter recall
Back in February, the FDA expanded a recall of several reprocessed EP and ultrasound catheters due to a risk of contamination. The agency is now sharing additional information with the public.
Boston Scientific’s Farapulse PFA system receives expanded approval
The technology first gained CE mark approval for the treatment of paroxysmal AFib in 2021, when PFA was still brand new. Now, thanks to positive results from the ADVANTAGE AF clinical trial, it is approved for persistent AFib as well.
FDA clears AI-powered platform that personalizes care during TAVR, cardiac pacing procedures
The newly cleared CARA System from Cara Medical was designed to help clinicians before and during a variety of cardiac procedures. It provides a personalized 3D map of the patient's cardiac conduction system and then overlays that map onto live fluoroscopic images.
FDA approves new Biotronik pacing lead for LBBAP
The next-generation device includes a stylet-driven lead and a fixed helix. It was designed and developed specifically with LBBAP in mind.
Death after PCI seen in just 0.5% of patients—heart attack, cardiac arrest most common causes
The new analysis included data from more than 22,000 PCI patients treated at one of two high-volume U.S. facilities. Infection was the most common noncardiac cause of death.

Real-world Watchman results hold up at 2 years

Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure with the Watchman device was associated with low rates of stroke and bleeding events in high-risk atrial fibrillation patients over a two-year follow-up period, according to a real-world analysis published April 3 in Circulation: Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia.

White light exposure may hinder recovery for heart patients

An animal study published in Experimental Neurology suggests recovery from cardiac arrest is inhibited by exposure to white light—the same kind that normally illuminates hospital rooms.

Apixaban linked to best outcomes in older patients with AFib, heart failure

Compared to warfarin, all direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were associated with fewer cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes in a study of Medicare patients with both nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and heart failure. But apixaban appeared to offer the best balance of protecting against these events while minimizing bleeding risk.

Hands-only CPR doubles survival, boosts bystander intervention rates

The proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in Sweden who received bystander CPR increased by 27.4 percent over an 18-year period, according to a new study, with much of that growth attributed to the increased utilization of chest compression-only CPR.

AI uses x-rays to ID cardiac rhythm device manufacturer with 99.6% accuracy

A new AI software can quickly and accurately determine the manufacturer and model of a cardiac rhythm device from an x-ray, possibly speeding up treatment when the devices fail.

Antibiotic-eluting envelop reduces risk of CIED infections by 40%

A mesh envelope embedded with antibiotics cut the risk of major device-related infections by 40 percent when placed around cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) like pacemakers and defibrillators, researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Simplified AFib ablation saves time, money without sacrificing quality

A catheter ablation protocol for atrial fibrillation (AFib) including only “the bare essentials” of the procedure delivered similar outcomes as a more involved strategy featuring pulmonary vein mapping, according to research presented at EHRA 2019.

Apixaban, clopidogrel a safe combo for ACS patients with AFib

NEW ORLEANS — An antithrombotic regimen of apixaban plus a P2Y12 inhibitor such as clopidogrel lowered bleeding events and hospitalizations compared to warfarin plus clopidogrel in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to results of the AUGUSTUS trial.

Heart Rhythm

FDA shares details about reprocessed catheter recall

Boston Scientific’s Farapulse PFA system receives expanded approval

FDA clears AI-powered platform that personalizes care during TAVR, cardiac pacing procedures

FDA approves new Biotronik pacing lead for LBBAP

Death after PCI seen in just 0.5% of patients—heart attack, cardiac arrest most common causes