Atrial Fibrillation News and Research

RSS

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.

Doubt cast on LABA withdrawal in combination asthma therapy

Researchers have urged doctors to be cautious over withdrawal of long-acting beta-2 agonist therapy in patients with asthma controlled by this type of bronchodilator in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid, after finding the approach often results in destabilization of their condition.

31 Aug 2012

Promising results with SLIT for childhood grass pollen allergy

High-dose sublingual immunotherapy effectively reduces allergic symptoms and medication use in children with grass pollen–allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, show study results.

31 Aug 2012

Tunes and T-shirts for cardiac rehabilitation

Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Germany, showed how researchers are developing innovative approaches to help patients get the most out of cardiac rehabilitation.

31 Aug 2012

Heart Rhythm Society, ECAS and EHRA develop 2012 expert consensus statement on AF ablation

The 2012 expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation was developed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society (ECAS) and published in their respective journals: Heart Rhythm, EP Europace and the Journal of Interventional Cardiovascular Electrophysiology (JICE).

30 Aug 2012

Tunes and T-shirts for cardiac rehabilitation

29 Aug 2012

Omitting aspirin leads to less bleedings but does not increase risk of stent thrombosis, MI

Lifelong anticoagulation is necessary for the prevention of stroke in patients with rhythm disturbances and with mechanical valves. Patients who have a coronary stent implanted also need the antiplatelet drugs aspirin and clopidogrel to prevent the rare but lethal complication of stent thrombosis.

29 Aug 2012

Risk of stroke after myocardial infarction seems to decrease with improvements in coronary care

The analysis of data from two Swedish registries was presented by Dr Anders Ulvenstam, and suggests that the reduction is due to improvements in AMI care.

29 Aug 2012

Catheter ablation for Afib is safe and suppresses arrhythmia recurrences

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (Afib) is safe and suppresses arrhythmia recurrences in 74% of patients after a single procedure, according to results from the one-year follow-up of the Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Pilot Study, the first European registry to evaluate the real-life epidemiology of catheter ablation for AFib.

29 Aug 2012

Study explores gender-related differences in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure

Women with acute heart failure have similar in-hospital mortality to men but are less treated in the real world, according to results from the global ALARM-HF registry presented today at the ESC Congress 2012. The findings were presented by Dr John T. Parissis from Greece.

27 Aug 2012

Baylor Plano first hospital to merge MEM software and Epoch platform for atrial fibrillation therapy

Baylor Plano became the first hospital in the world on Friday to merge two highly advanced technologies for atrial fibrillation therapy.

27 Aug 2012

Female sex associated with increased risk of stroke for AF patients aged ≥75 years

Female gender increases the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) aged >75 years by 20%, according to a study presented today at the ESC Congress 2012. The findings were presented by Anders Mikkelsen, from Denmark.

27 Aug 2012

Fertile women with obesity more likely to develop atrial fibrillation

Obesity triggers atrial fibrillation in fertile women, according to research presented today at the ESC Congress 2012 by Dr Deniz Karasoy from Denmark.

26 Aug 2012

HIV-like immunodeficiency observed in Asia

Researchers have discovered an adult-onset immunodeficiency syndrome with symptoms similar to those of advanced HIV in Thailand and Taiwan.

24 Aug 2012

Concern over ameba-infested tap water deaths

People with sinusitis who regularly treat their condition using nasal irrigation should be aware of a potential contamination risk associated with using inadequately filtered tap water, say US researchers.

23 Aug 2012

CKD may raise stroke, bleeding risk in AF patients

Danish study results show that the presence of chronic kidney disease appears to raise the risk for stroke, systemic thromboembolism, and bleeding among patients with atrial fibrillation.

22 Aug 2012

CIRT to determine whether methotrexate can reduce heart attacks, strokes and CVD deaths

An international multi-site trial has launched to determine whether a common anti-inflammatory drug can reduce heart attacks, strokes, and deaths due to cardiovascular disease in people at high risk for them. This study is being supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a part of the National Institutes of Health.

22 Aug 2012