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.

Eating more plant-based foods associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease in midlife

Eating more nutritious, plant-based foods is heart-healthy at any age, according to two research studies published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.

4 Aug 2021

99% of COVID-19 deaths in Italy occur among those not fully vaccinated

In a new report out of Italy, health officials reported that almost 99 percent of people who have died from COVID-19 since February 2021 were not fully vaccinated. The report released by the National Health Institute (ISS) showed that the few fully vaccinated people who died of COVID-19 were also older than those who died without complete COVID-19 vaccine doses.

29 Jul 2021

Nine of ten patients with hypertension do not receive enough treatment

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading treatable cause of illness and death worldwide. More than a billion people are hypertensive, defined as having blood pressure (BP) with a systolic level (the higher number) of at least 140 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or diastolic level (the lower number) of 90 mmHg or higher.

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

Researchers find a potentially game-changing blood clot treatment

A potentially game-changing treatment for people with, or at risk of, blood clots has been found effective by an international team of researchers led by McMaster University's Jeffrey Weitz.

19 Jul 2021

New statement highlights the role of primary care professional in caring for people with stroke

The new scientific statement, "Primary Care of Adult Patients After Stroke," acknowledges the importance of primary care in the system of care for patients with stroke, summarizing the available literature and providing a roadmap for holistic, goal-directed and patient-centered care.

15 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

Study highlights burden of methamphetamine-associated heart failure hospitalizations in California

Heart failure hospitalizations and costs related to methamphetamine use jumped sharply over a decade in California, according to new research published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.

14 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

Athletes more likely to experience irregular heart rhythms than non-athletes

Athletes appear to be almost two and half times more likely than non-athletes to experience irregular heart rhythms, suggests new research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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

AI tool measures fat around the heart to predict a patient's risk of diabetes

A team led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that is able to automatically measure the amount of fat around the heart from MRI scan images.

7 Jul 2021

Study: Valvular heart disease in patients with chronic heart failure has been underestimated

Hitherto, the development of valvular heart disease in patients with chronic heart failure has been underestimated and rarely treated.

1 Jul 2021

BUSM receives $2.7 million grant to reduce disparities in cardio-oncology

With a growing need to better understand the many links between heart disease and cancer, the two leading causes of death worldwide, the American Heart Association, the world's leading voluntary organization dedicated to a world of longer, healthier lives, announced grants focused on this area of scientific research.

29 Jun 2021

FDA approves oral pellets to treat children with venous thromboembolism

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) oral pellets to treat children 3 months to less than 12 years old with venous thromboembolism (a condition where blood clots form in the veins) directly after they have been treated with a blood thinner given by injection for at least five days.

21 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

AI ECG as a novel noninvasive approach to diagnosing cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients

A recent study discusses the efficacy of an AI-enhanced ECG technique that has been used to diagnose left ventricular dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.

17 Jun 2021

SBP scientist receives $1.9 million from NHLBI for atrial fibrillation research

Sanford Burnham Prebys Assistant Professor Alexandre Colas has been awarded $1.9 million by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health to discover drugs that restore normal cardiac rhythm in atrial fibrillation.

14 Jun 2021

Cross-sectional study explores differences in biomarkers in fulminant and non-fulminant COVID-19 myocarditis

Researchers from the US recently conducted a study to examine the clinical course and echocardiographic and lab testing across clinically defined fulminant and non-fulminant COVID-19 myocarditis. This study is published on the preprint server, medRxiv.*

11 Jun 2021

Denver-based start-up and ACC launch a home health monitoring platform

The American College of Cardiology and cliexa, a Denver-based start-up focused on remote patient monitoring, have collaborated through the ACC Innovation Program to launch a home health monitoring platform called cliexa-Pulse.

9 Jun 2021