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.

Scientists develop algorithm to predict hypotension during surgery

Scientists have developed an algorithm that predicts potentially dangerous low blood pressure, or hypotension, that can occur during surgery.

11 Jun 2018

Collaborative research team seeks to collapse a tiny pocket between cardiac cells

A collaborative research team is on a quest to collapse a tiny pocket between cardiac cells that can cause big problems. Called the perinexus, the structure spans only tenths of a millimeter -- all the space it needs to disrupt a person's heartbeat.

7 Jun 2018

Study finds link between inflammatory signals in heart muscle cells and atrial fibrillation

Interfering with inflammatory signals produced by heart muscle cells might someday provide novel therapeutic strategies for atrial fibrillation, according to an international team of researchers who have published their findings in the journal Circulation.

5 Jun 2018

Causes and treatment of acute heart failure vary by region, registry shows

Triggers of acute heart failure vary globally, according to late breaking results from the REPORT-HF registry presented today at Heart Failure 2018 and the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure, a European Society of Cardiology Congress.

26 May 2018

Researchers shed light on how androgen deprivation therapy increases risk for cardiovascular mortality

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the US. As the prostate is a testosterone-responsive gland, androgen deprivation therapy is the cornerstone of treatment in these men, with approximately 50 percent of prostate cancer patients starting ADT within a year of diagnosis.

22 May 2018

New technique allows researchers to control heart cells growing in a dish

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and their collaborators have developed a technique that allows them to speed up or slow down human heart cells growing in a dish on command - simply by shining a light on them and varying its intensity.

21 May 2018

Combination of atrial fibrillation and carotid artery disease increases patient's risk of dementia

Atrial fibrillation patients who are diagnosed with carotid artery disease face higher risks for developing dementia, according to new research from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.

14 May 2018

Genomic science can help healthcare professionals to identify, treat inherited cardiac conditions

The family history questions asked during patient assessments are becoming even more important with the rise of precision medicine and genetic testing.

11 May 2018

Study validates accuracy of smart watches in measuring rapid heart rate

A new study is the first to validate the accuracy of wrist-worn wearable devices in measuring induced paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), or episodes of rapid heart rate.

11 May 2018

International research collaboration aims to prevent heart arrhythmias with gene therapy

The most common and potentially lethal complication following a heart attack is the heart's inability to do one of its most basic jobs: beat at a normal rate.

9 May 2018

UIC scientists discover way to generate heart cells for research on causes of AFib

University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have discovered a way turn pluripotent stem cells into atrial cells, which make up the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart. The discovery will enable them to better study atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder also known as AFib, which originates in the heart's atria.

3 May 2018

Noise annoyance associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation

With an increasing level of noise, the incidence of atrial fibrillation also increases dramatically. Scientists from the Department of Cardiology at the Mainz University Medical Center were able to prove this with data from the Gutenberg Health Study.

3 May 2018

Natural substances in Chinese medicinal plant can trigger heart arrhythmias

A medicinal plant frequently used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - Evodia rutaecarpa - contains substances that can cause cardiac arrhythmia. This is what researchers from the Universities of Basel, Vienna and Utrecht have recently found out.

2 May 2018

New optogenetic tools show promise in treating cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric disorders

You've heard of "nature versus nurture," and philosophers argue about which is more important. But how does this work on the cellular level?

27 Apr 2018

Researchers design creative new approach to regenerate injured hearts

Heart disease is a major global health problem--myocardial infarction annually affects more than one million people in the U.S. alone, and there is still no effective treatment.

24 Apr 2018

Bob and Corrine Frick's gift helps establish first center for heart failure and arrhythmia

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will establish the nation's first center dedicated to treating those with heart failure and arrhythmia with gifts totaling $18 million from Bob and Corrine Frick.

5 Apr 2018

Researchers untap potential of wearable sensors and AI technologies to predict biological age

Researchers from the longevity biotech company GERO and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have shown that physical activity data acquired from wearables can be used to produce digital biomarkers of aging and frailty.

30 Mar 2018

Depression may be linked to increased risk of atrial fibrillation

A study has shown that depression may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder that can cause clot formation and stroke.

23 Mar 2018

Researchers find the heart to be capable of arrhythmia termination after local gene therapy

The heart is capable of terminating arrhythmias itself after local gene therapy, potentially avoiding the need for patients to undergo painful electric shocks, according to a proof-of-concept study presented today at EHRA 2018, a European Society of Cardiology congress.

19 Mar 2018

Atrial fibrillation patients could reduce risk of dementia by taking stroke prevention drugs

Patients with atrial fibrillation could reduce the risk of dementia by taking stroke prevention medications, according to recommendations published online today in EP Europace, a European Society of Cardiology journal, and presented at EHRA 2018.