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.

American Heart Association thinks pharmacists can play a bigger role in AFib care
Pharmacists interact with patients on a regular basis and are seen as a trusted source of health information. Can they help cardiologists improve care for AFib patients?
2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life
Stroke is typically seen as the biggest danger for patients after they receive an AFib diagnosis. This study, however, suggests heart failure could be an even bigger threat.
FDA grants fast track designation to new drug for Friedreich's ataxia cardiomyopathy
The new gene therapy candidate is now one step closer to being approved by the FDA.
FDA grants anticoagulant its orphan drug designation for treating patients with implanted devices
The anticoagulant was originally developed for patients with end-stage renal disease and atrial fibrillation.
Biosense Webster takes key step toward FDA approval for Varipulse PFA system
The company already received CE mark approval for its new PFA offering and hopes it will soon be approved for sale in the United States.

Medtronic recalls nearly 350,000 implantable heart devices after 22 injuries

The FDA has categorized this as a Class I recall, meaning the use of these devices could cause “serious injuries or death.”

July 18, 2023

dissolvable heart monitors for AFib designed by Northwestern and George Washington

New dissolvable heart monitors could help cardiologists battle AFib

The new-look devices are soft, flexible, transparent and roughly the size of a postage stamp.

July 7, 2023

FDA approves Abbott’s Aveir dual chamber (DR) leadless pacemaker system, the world’s very first dual chamber leadless pacing solution for treating patients with abnormal heart rhythms.

FDA approves world’s first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system

The minimally invasive system is made up of two pacemakers that send signals back and forth to one another. One pacemaker is placed on the patient's right ventricle, and the other is placed on the patient's right atrium.

July 5, 2023

Shockwave Medical's intravascular lithotripsy used during transvenous lead extraction

Intravascular lithotripsy helps address the challenges of transvenous lead extraction

Dense calcifications have long been viewed as one of the most challenging aspects of TLE procedures. IVL may offer specialists a new way to address that issue.

June 28, 2023

Shopping Cart ECG electrocardiogram AFib atrial fibrillation

Cardiology at the supermarket: Shopping carts upgraded to detect signs of AFib

Attaching ECG sensors to the handles of shopping carts could help identify signs of atrial fibrillation in patients who don't even realize they have it.

June 23, 2023

Abbott's TactiFlex flexible tip, force sensing ablation catheter (right), and its integration with the EnSite X EP mapping system (left) showing the distance from the last ablation. and the contact force during an AFib pulmonary vein isolation.

FDA clears first ablation catheter with flexible electrode tip, contact force sensing

Contact force-sensing catheters were developed to help overcome the issue of incomplete ablation lesions.

June 16, 2023

‘Notably high’ rates of PTSD, depression and anxiety seen in patients with implantable heart devices

"Psychologists have had little involvement in the care of cardiac patients but this needs to change," one researcher said in a statement.

June 16, 2023

The Medtronic pulsed field ablation (PFA) system.

Pulsed field ablation shows more positive data as treatment for AFib

Pulsed field ablation is one of the biggest technology trends in cardiac electrophysiology and may become a new standard of care in atrial fibrillation the coming years based on clinical data.

June 8, 2023

Heart Rhythm

American Heart Association thinks pharmacists can play a bigger role in AFib care

2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life

FDA grants fast track designation to new drug for Friedreich's ataxia cardiomyopathy

FDA grants anticoagulant its orphan drug designation for treating patients with implanted devices

Biosense Webster takes key step toward FDA approval for Varipulse PFA system