Atrial Fibrillation News and Research

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. A disorder in the heart’s electrical system causes AF and other types of arrhythmia. AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals in the heart’s two upper chambers, called the atria, cause them to contract very fast and irregularly (this is called fibrillation). As a result, blood pools in the atria and isn’t pumped completely into the heart’s two lower chambers, called the ventricles. When this happens, the heart’s upper and lower chambers don’t work together as they should. Often, people who have AF may not even feel symptoms. However, even when not noticed, AF can lead to an increased risk of stroke. In many patients, particularly when the rhythm is extremely rapid, AF can cause chest pain, heart attack, or heart failure. AF may occur rarely or every now and then, or it may become a persistent or permanent heart rhythm lasting for years.

Treatment-related heart failure risk for rheumatoid arthritis patients revealed

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have no greater risk for heart failure with tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy than with nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, research suggests.

19 Nov 2012

Two equally effective TNF inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis

Adalimumab and etanercept are equally effective as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in the treatment of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, report researchers.

19 Nov 2012

Geriatric health, lungs adversely affected by air pollution

Elderly individuals living in highly polluted areas of the USA have higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood compared with their counterparts who live in less-polluted regions, indicate the results of a study.

19 Nov 2012

Caterpillar fungi may benefit asthma patients

Research shows that cordycepin, extracted from a group of rare parasitic caterpillar fungi of the genus Cordyceps, has unusual anti-inflammatory properties that may make it a good candidate for treating conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

16 Nov 2012

Electrical engineers develop new technology to monitor medical vital signs

Electrical engineers at Oregon State University have developed new technology to monitor medical vital signs, with sophisticated sensors so small and cheap they could fit onto a bandage, be manufactured in high volumes and cost less than a quarter.

16 Nov 2012

Triclosan exposure linked to allergies in children

Norwegian children with high levels of urinary triclosan are more likely to have allergies than children with lower levels, report researchers in Allergy.

15 Nov 2012

Minor symptoms a big deal in nasal polyposis

Asthma does not have any significant influence on quality of life among patients with nasal polyposis, but it may increase the intensity of individual minor symptoms such as headache, or fullness in the ears, report researchers.

14 Nov 2012

Pathway between maternal obesity and childhood asthma nonallergic

Maternal pre-pregnancy bodyweight is associated with the risk for children developing asthma and wheezing by the age of 7 years, Danish research shows.

13 Nov 2012

Hormonal component to respiratory symptoms in women

Changes in respiratory symptoms in women may be governed partly by their menstrual cycles, research suggests.

13 Nov 2012

Overcleanliness in childhood may increase risk for peanut allergy

An increased incidence of peanut allergy in children from more wealthy families supports the “hygiene hypothesis” that overcleanliness may promote the onset of childhood allergies, say US researchers.

9 Nov 2012

Cardiac arrhythmias: an interview with Dr Andrew Grace

Cardiac arrhythmias are disturbances of the heartbeat. The heart can either go too slowly, which might make people collapse or exhausted; or too quickly.

8 Nov 2012

Low molecular weight agents heighten inhalation challenge risk

Asthmatic reactions needing drug treatment are more likely to result from specific inhalation challenges for occupational asthma with low molecular weight agents than high molecular weight agents, show the results of a Belgian study.

6 Nov 2012

Lupus may carry pregnancy complication risk

US researchers report that women with systemic lupus erythematosus have a twofold higher risk for developing preeclampsia than women without an autoimmune disease.

6 Nov 2012

Receptor expression sheds light on nasal polyposis

The increased expression of a leukotriene receptor and a glucocorticoid receptor may contribute to the development of nasal polyposis, report researchers.

6 Nov 2012

New tool helps prevent hospital readmission among heart attack patients

Some heart attack patients end up back in the hospital just weeks after going home. It can happen for a variety of reasons, but doctors haven't had a reliable way to predict which patients will return - until now.

6 Nov 2012

Overweight, smoking add to rheumatoid arthritis risk

Lifestyle changes could reduce the risk for rheumatoid arthritis in patients predisposed to the condition, Dutch researchers suggest.

5 Nov 2012

Anti-TNF-α therapy reduces CVD risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis exhibit a sub-clinical vasculitis that may underlie their increased risk for cardiovascular disease, shows research.

5 Nov 2012

Pradaxa use does not appear to increase serious bleeding

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the results of a Mini-Sentinel assessment that indicates bleeding rates associated with new use of Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) capsules do not appear to be higher than bleeding rates associated with new use of warfarin, which is consistent with observations from the pivotal RE-LY trial.

4 Nov 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer and Portola partner to conduct clinical study of PRT4445 and ELIQUIS

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. today announced a clinical collaboration agreement to conduct a proof-of-concept study of PRT4445 and the investigational oral Factor Xa inhibitor ELIQUIS (apixaban).

3 Nov 2012

Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb announce data from ELIQUIS clinical trial on AF

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. today announced that a large number of data presentations sponsored by the companies on ELIQUIS (apixaban) and the treatment of atrial fibrillation will be presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions, November 3-7, 2012, in Los Angeles, California.

3 Nov 2012