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.

New data from the American Heart Association (AHA), published Jan. 25, 2023, in Circulation, suggests it resulted in a significant increase in the number of patients dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a higher age-adjusted mortality rate. Oxygen Mask

1 in 20 hospitalized COVID-19 patients develop new-onset AFib

Researchers examined data from nearly 31,000 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, sharing their findings in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

September 14, 2022
USPSTF updates its stance on aspirin use to prevent CVD, sees no benefit for patients 60 or older.

HFpEF patients with MR may face a higher mortality risk—but not if they have AFib

There is an established connection between MR and HFrEF, but we know much less about the link between MR and HFpEF. 

September 13, 2022
Thermedical SERF thermal ablation system for VT.

FDA approves trial for new type of thermal-ablation system to treat ventricular arrhythmias

The FDA has approved a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new type of ablation catheter for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) resistant to conventional anti-arrhythmic drugs or standard ablation procedures.

September 9, 2022
Watchman FLX left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)

Boston Scientific gains a new FDA approval for Watchman FLX LAAC device

The company can now update its labeling instructions for the device to include a new 45-day dual anti-platelet therapy treatment option when treating non-valvular atrial fibrillation. 

September 7, 2022

New expert guidelines highlight the importance of quickly diagnosing and treating CIED infections

Though removal of the affected CIED is typically the smartest treatment option—and one supported by specialty groups all over the world—a majority of patients keep living with the device, often resulting in hospitalization or even death.

September 1, 2022
Affera Inc Medtronic $925 million catheter ablation atrial fibrillation (AFib)

Medtronic completes acquisition of heart rhythm tech company in a deal reportedly worth $925M

Affera’s portfolio includes interventional solutions such as the Affera Prism-1 mapping and navigation platform, designed to help electrophysiologists diagnose heart rhythm issues, and the Sphere-9 cardiac ablation catheter. 

August 31, 2022
Christine Albert, MD, MPH, cardiology chair for the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Rethinking arrhythmias: Women may face a higher AFib risk than men

New research, published in JAMA Cardiology, challenges the common belief that AFib is more likely to develop among men than women. The key problem, it seems, is that prior research teams did not understand the significance of certain risk factors.

August 31, 2022
Medtronic shared some good news with attendees at ESC Congress 2022 in Barcelona, the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, noting that its Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (EV ICD) system met its safety endpoints in a global clinical trial. Medtronic EV ICD clinical trial safety endpoints ESC Congress 2022 #ESC #ESC2022 #ESC22

Medtronic’s first-of-its-kind ICD meets safety endpoints in global clinical trial

The promising results were presented at ESC Congress 2022 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Medtronic's new-look device is not yet approved for sale or distribution. 

August 29, 2022