Pacemaker News and Research

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ACT updates myoblast program for heart failure treatment

Advanced Cell Technology, a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, provided an update today on the status of its myoblast program. The program has successfully and safely completed Phase I human clinical trials in more than forty patients in over four independent studies.

30 Sep 2010

SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart wins 2010 Kerrin Rennie Award

On Sept. 15, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart was awarded the 2010 Kerrin Rennie Award for Excellence in Medical Technology by the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA).

23 Sep 2010

Cardiac Cath Lab Director: New bimonthly journal from SAGE

Cardiac Cath Lab Director is a new bimonthly journal being launched in February 2011 by SAGE, the world's leading independent academic and professional publisher.

22 Sep 2010

UCLA conference to provide information about latest developments to help enhance quality of life of seniors

While aging impacts everyday living in many ways, the latest technologies in the medical, consumer and lifestyle fields have the potential to help older adults live better for longer.

18 Sep 2010

New imaging technique visualizes myocardial scar and heart's blood vessels simultaneously

Cardiologists and surgeons may soon have a new tool to improve outcomes for patients requiring pacemakers, bypass surgery or angioplasties. Research led by Dr. James White and his colleagues at The University of Western Ontario has led to a new imaging technique, which provides a single, 3D high-resolution image of the heart revealing both its vasculature and the presence of scar tissue within the muscle.

17 Sep 2010

ESC updates Clinical Practice Guidelines on devices for heart failure treatment

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) today announces a focused update of its Clinical Practice Guidelines covering Device Therapy in Heart Failure. This is the first time that current ESC guidelines have been updated, reflecting the pace of research in this field and the importance of recently published evidence.

2 Sep 2010

DANPACE trial shows dual chamber pacing decreases atrial fibrillation in sick sinus syndrome

DANPACE, a Danish multicentre randomised trial comparing single lead atrial and dual chamber pacing in patients with sick sinus syndrome, concludes that dual chamber pacing, which was associated with lower rates of atrial fibrillation and re-operation, "should be the preferred pacing mode".

31 Aug 2010

SHIFT study finds Ivabradine reduces heart failure risk

Ivabradine, a selective If inhibitor already investigated for its effects in coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction, significantly lowers the risk of heart failure, according to results of the SHIFT study (Systolic Heart failure treatment with the If inhibitor ivabradine Trial).

30 Aug 2010

23rd ECNP Press conference on impact of circadian rhythms on human brain

All humans are synchronised to the rhythmic light-dark changes that occur on a daily basis. Rhythms in physiological and biochemical processes and behavioural patterns persist in the absence of all external 24-hour signals from the physical environment, with a period that is close to 24 hours

30 Aug 2010

FDA clears SonoSite's LumenVu Catheter Guidance System

SonoSite, Inc., the world leader and specialist in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, announced today that it received FDA clearance for its innovative LumenVu® Catheter Guidance System. Designed to aid in the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), the proprietary LumenVu System combines near-infrared technology with a revolutionary fiber optic stylet, which replaces a traditional guide wire, to allow visualization and real-time tracking of a catheter tip as it advances through a vein.

27 Aug 2010

Salinas Valley Memorial participates in trial of AngelMed Guardian System in high-risk heart patients

Imagine a day when you could be alerted to your impending heart attack before it happens. Research that got underway today at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System could help that become a reality someday.

26 Aug 2010

'Pre-vascularization' of device prior to implantation sustains circulation and suppresses scar formation

By creating a unique system of blood vessels that is engineered to interact with the tissue surrounding an implanted device, the longevity and function of these devices may be better preserved, according to a study led by researchers in the University of Louisville/ Jewish Hospital's Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (CII).

24 Aug 2010

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Home from the hospital already? As stays for hospital patients grow progressively shorter, even for procedures as serious as repairing a brain aneurysm or inserting a pacemaker, patients' need for highly skilled nursing care at home is growing. Indeed, every week, thousands of these patients are referred to home health care services.

17 Aug 2010

Researchers pace embryonic heart with laser

Scientists at Case Western Reserve University and Vanderbilt University found that pulsed light can pace contractions in an avian embryonic heart, with no apparent damage to the tissue. The work, "Optical pacing of the embryonic heart," will be published in the advanced online issue of Nature Photonics on Aug. 15, 2010.According to the scientists, this non-invasive device may prove an effective tool in understanding how environmental factors that alter an embryo's heart rate lead to congenital defects. It may also lead to investigations of cardiac electrophysiology at the cellular, tissue and organ levels, and possibly the development of a new generation of pacemakers.

16 Aug 2010

Medtronic launches Defeat-HF clinical trial to evaluate SCS for heart failure

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the global launch of the Defeat-HF (Determining the Feasibility of Spinal Cord Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure) clinical trial. It is the industry's first prospective, randomized study evaluating the clinical feasibility of spinal cord stimulation, or neurostimulation, to improve clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure.

30 Jul 2010

St. Jude Medical second-quarter net sales increase 11% to $1.313 billion

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today reported sales and net earnings for the second quarter ended July 3, 2010.

23 Jul 2010

Fatal risk of software defects in implantable medical devices

Software vulnerabilities in life-sustaining medical devices such as pacemakers and infusion pumps pose a growing threat to public health, warns a new report published by the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC).

22 Jul 2010

Gene essential for respiration and survival at birth identified

How do mammals prepare themselves in utero for a radical modification to their respiration at the time of birth, when they move abruptly from an aquatic medium to air? CNRS researchers, working in collaboration with teams from the Universities of the Méditerranée, Paris-Sud 11 and Paul Cézanne have identified a gene in the mouse that is essential to respiration and consequently to survival at birth.

21 Jul 2010

Spectranetics announces product reimbursement approval for SLS II

Spectranetics Corporation today announced that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan has approved product reimbursement to hospitals for the Spectranetics Laser Sheath, which is used for the removal of problematic pacemaker and defibrillator cardiac leads.

20 Jul 2010

Research findings could help save lives from sick sinus syndrome

The pioneering research, using detailed computer models, could help save lives through preventative treatment of those most at risk from a form of heart rhythm disorder called sick sinus syndrome.

From The University of Manchester 7 Jul 2010