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.

EHRA 2020: Latest practice-changing research in heart rhythm disorders

Get ready for the latest practice-changing research in heart rhythm disorders: presented at EHRA 2020, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

27 Feb 2020

First patient in U.S. treated for atrial fibrillation using new type of ablation technology

Cardiologists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are the first in the United States to test a new type of ablation technology for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat.

26 Feb 2020

Extreme endurance exercise can increase risk of cardiovascular events

For most people, the benefits of aerobic exercise far outweigh the risks, however, extreme endurance exercise - such as participation in marathons and triathlons for people who aren't accustomed to high-intensity exercise - can raise the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder) or heart attacks, according to a new Scientific Statement "Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective-An Update from the American Heart Association," published today in the Association's premier journal Circulation.

26 Feb 2020

Secondary analysis reinforces safety of blood thinner

Treatment with the blood thinner apixaban was associated with a lower risk of bleeding, death and hospitalization compared with warfarin, regardless of history of prior stroke or blood clot, according to a secondary analysis presented as late breaking science today at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2020.

23 Feb 2020

Study finds racial, ethnic disparities in stroke prevention among patients undergoing dialysis

In a study of patients with kidney failure and atrial fibrillation, racial/ethnic minorities experienced higher rates of stroke compared with non-Hispanic White patients, and they were less likely to fill prescriptions of stroke-preventive medications.

20 Feb 2020

Survey: 55% of American adults feel tired after spring daylight saving time transition

The start of daylight saving time means many will lose an hour of sleep – and 55% of Americans report feeling tired after the time change, according to a new survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

19 Feb 2020

Vitamin C may shorten duration of mechanical ventilation in critical care patients

Vitamin C administration shortened the duration of mechanical ventilation in critical care patients, but the effect depended on the severity of illness.

16 Feb 2020

Acute Cardiovascular Care 2020 will highlight novel research on recovery from heart emergencies

Innovative research in the diagnosis and treatment of heart emergencies will be revealed at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2020, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

9 Feb 2020

Medtronic receives CE Mark for Cobalt and Crome portfolio of ICDs and CRT-Ds

Medtronic plc today announced it has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark for its Cobalt and Crome portfolio of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-D).

From Medtronic 31 Jan 2020

Future of cardiovascular disease management revolves around remote patient monitoring

Cardiovascular disease must be better managed for patient care to improve. The protocols for monitoring patients are rapidly evolving. Historically, patients who fall ill are required to travel in order to visit a general practitioner or hospital. This procedure may soon become a thing of the past.

From IDTechEx Ltd 30 Jan 2020

Study advances the understanding of capillary regression

Many diseases arise from abnormalities in our capillaries, tiny exquisitely branching blood vessel networks that play a critical role in tissue health.

29 Jan 2020

Patients can be discharged 3 days after open heart surgery without increased risk for complications

Patients who undergo open heart surgery and head home 3 days later are not at increased risk for complications, according to a scientific presentation at the 56th Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

27 Jan 2020

Holistic and data-driven health assessment can help achieve early disease detection

Human Longevity, Inc., an innovator in providing data-driven health intelligence and precision health to physicians and patients, announced today the publication of a ground-breaking study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

27 Jan 2020

Researchers show potential link between a genetic variation and atrial fibrillation

Researchers from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences have shown a possible link between a genetic variation and the widespread type of cardiac arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation.

21 Jan 2020

Alarming link between marijuana and increased heart risk

Marijuana use is rising steadily across the US as more and more states enact laws making it a legal recreational and medicinal agent. However, a new study underlines the fact that this is, in fact, playing with an unknown substance, which may cause serious bodily harm. The review article, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, shows that more than 2 million adults who currently have heart or vascular disease gave a history of being currently on marijuana products, or having used them in the past.

20 Jan 2020

Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of dying from heart disease

February is American Heart Month. Did you know that sleep apnea impacts heart health? According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million American adults are kept from restful sleep by obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic disease that involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep.

16 Jan 2020

Burnout linked to higher risk for abnormal heart rhythm

A new study published in January 2020 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology shows that burnout could really cause your heart to fail as a result of an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AF).

14 Jan 2020

Cardiovascular diseases associated with increased risk of developing kidney failure

New research indicates that cardiovascular diseases- including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and stroke- are each linked with a higher risk of developing kidney failure.

9 Jan 2020

Interplay between relaxin and Wnt signaling has positive effects on aging heart

As a healthy heart ages, it becomes more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. Though researchers have discovered that relaxin, an insulin-like hormone, suppresses atrial fibrillation (AF), inflammation, and fibrosis in aged rats, the underlying mechanisms of these benefits are still unknown.

7 Jan 2020

Discovery of molecular origins of a heart beat

Researchers have found that molecular origins of a heart beat. They have found the proteins that make up tiny sodium channels in the tissues of the heart that can help generate the heart beats. The results of the study titled, “Structure of the Cardiac Sodium Channel” was published yesterday 19th of December 2019 in the journal Cell.

22 Dec 2019