Arrhythmia News and Research

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An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. A heartbeat that is too fast is called tachycardia. A heartbeat that is too slow is called bradycardia. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening. When the heart rate is too slow, too fast, or irregular, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.

New AHA statement provides guidance about cardiovascular genetic testing in children

Cardiovascular genetic testing in children presents unique challenges, requiring pre- and post-test counseling with an individualized approach for families.

20 Aug 2021

Infantile sudden death associated with a de novo genetic mutation in the SOS1 gene

A previously healthy infant who suffered aborted sudden cardiac death was found to have a de novo genetic mutation in the SOS1 gene.

17 Aug 2021

Pfizer court fight could legalize Medicare copays and unleash ‘gold rush’ in sales

Three years ago, pharma giant Pfizer paid $24 million to settle federal allegations that it was paying kickbacks and inflating sales by reimbursing Medicare patients for out-of-pocket medication costs.

29 Jul 2021

New tool could transform the management of cardiac sarcoidosis patients

Johns Hopkins University scientists have developed a new tool for predicting which patients suffering from a complex inflammatory heart disease are at risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

28 Jul 2021

Study reports no link between coffee consumption and cardiac arrhythmia

In the largest study of its kind, an investigation by UC San Francisco has found no evidence that moderate coffee consumption can cause cardiac arrhythmia.

20 Jul 2021

Study could help improve care for irregular heartbeats in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

New research will help doctors identify, treat and prevent potentially dangerous irregular heartbeats in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a common heart condition in which the heart thickens and strains to pump blood.

15 Jul 2021

Researchers receive NIH grant to explore how imaging can help predict atrial fibrillation recurrence

A team led by researchers from Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University have received a $2.95 million grant over four years from the National Institutes of Health to explore how imaging can be used to predict the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence.

12 Jul 2021

A type of echocardiogram may predict COVID-19 patients most at risk of developing atrial fibrillation

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that a type of echocardiogram, a common test to evaluate whether a person's heart is pumping properly, may be useful in predicting which patients with COVID-19 are most at risk of developing atrial fibrillation - an irregular heartbeat that can increase a person's risk for heart failure and stroke, among other heart issues.

8 Jul 2021

How do host factors like the lung microbiome aid in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection?

A new article has been published in Cellular and Molecular Lifesciences, which focuses on the connection between host factors and the worsening of the COVID-19. Further, the impact of the virus on the host’s microbiome and secondary infection has also been studied.

8 Jul 2021

Experts offer guidance on diagnosis and treatment of myocarditis in children

Myocarditis in children is a rare yet challenging condition to treat. Diagnosis and treatment includes multiple options, and many cases of myocarditis resolve on their own, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, "Diagnosis and Management of Myocarditis in Children," published today in Circulation, the Association's flagship journal.

7 Jul 2021

Changes in midlife wealth influence cardiovascular health

A relative decline in wealth during midlife increases the likelihood of a cardiac event or heart disease after age 65 while an increase in wealth between ages 50 and 64 is associated with lower cardiovascular risk, according to a new study in JAMA Cardiology.

1 Jul 2021

Cumulative BP can be a reliable measure of cardiovascular disease risk, study suggests

A global leading cause of death today is a class of dreaded disorders called cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are ailments of the heart and blood vessels, such as arrhythmia, stroke, coronary artery diseases, cardiac arrest, and so on.

28 Jun 2021

Collaborative project seeks to promote equitable care for atrial fibrillation

The American College of Cardiology and Heart Rhythm Society, in collaboration with the Bristol Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance, are launching an innovative project to improve management of atrial fibrillation in underserved communities.

17 Jun 2021

Clinical trial shows induced hypothermia after cardiac arrest does not improve survival

Since 2005, the guidelines for the care of unconscious cardiac arrest patients have been to cool the body temperature down to 33 degrees Celsius. A large, randomized clinical trial led by Lund University and Region Skåne in Sweden has shown that this treatment does not improve survival. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

16 Jun 2021

Scientists capture real-time electrical activity of a beating heart using graphene 'camera'

Bay Area scientists have captured the real-time electrical activity of a beating heart, using a sheet of graphene to record an optical image -- almost like a video camera -- of the faint electric fields generated by the rhythmic firing of the heart's muscle cells.

16 Jun 2021

Study: 20% of patients with unexplained sudden cardiac death have rare genetic variants

As many as 450,000 Americans die every year from a sudden, fatal heart condition, and in slightly more than one in ten cases the cause remains unexplained even after an autopsy.

9 Jun 2021

Scientists explain why space travel weakens the human immune system

Microgravity in space perturbs human physiology and is detrimental for astronaut health, a fact first realized during early Apollo missions when astronauts experienced inner ear disturbances, heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, dehydration, and loss of calcium from their bones after their mission.

8 Jun 2021

Study shows how scar tissue cells in the injured heart can be converted to heart muscle cells

It is estimated that during a heart attack, one billion cells in the heart are lost. In the wake of the heart attack, the lost tissue is replaced by scar tissue, which can lead to heart failure, arrhythmia and death. In a new study, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have shown how cells in the scar tissue can be converted to heart muscle cells, effectively regenerating the injured heart.

2 Jun 2021

Small chip inserted under the skin may help predict the likelihood of recurrent stroke

For patients who have experienced certain common types of stroke, a small chip inserted under the skin may help physicians predict their likelihood of experiencing a second stroke, and therefore their likelihood of benefiting from preventive therapy.

1 Jun 2021

Study analyzes the risk of other medical conditions after recovery from COVID-19

Researchers analyzed data from a large insurance company in the United States. They found an increased risk of other medical conditions after recovering from COVID-19 irrespective of pre-existing conditions or age.

21 May 2021