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.

Gene linked to sudden cardiac death in general population identified using ICD monitoring

A gene associated with sudden cardiac death in the general population has been identified using implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) monitoring in research presented for the first time at ESC Congress today.

1 Sep 2015

Additional electrical isolation of left atrial appendage could improve freedom from AF

In patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) despite standard treatment, additional electrical isolation of an area called the left atrial appendage (LAA) can improve freedom from AF without increasing complications, results of the BELIEF study show.

31 Aug 2015

MRA therapy does not improve outcome in heart attack patients without heart failure

Heart attack patients without heart failure derive no benefit from the addition of mineralocortoid receptor antagonists (MRA), to standard therapy, results of the ALBATROSS study show.

31 Aug 2015

High cardiorespiratory fitness levels reduce risk of arrhythmia recurrence in obese atrial fibrillation patients

Obese atrial fibrillation patients have a lower chance of arrhythmia recurrence if they have high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, and risk continues to decline as exercise capacity increases as part of treatment, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

24 Aug 2015

Cyberonics, Sorin provide update on pending business combination

Cyberonics, Inc. and Sorin S.p.A. today announced an update on various matters relating to their pending business combination (the "Transaction").

20 Aug 2015

GARFIELD-AF data to demonstrate impact of antithrombotic treatment patterns on AF patients at ESC Congress 2015

New analyses from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field - Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) will be presented at ESC Congress 2015 to be held in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 2, 2015.

20 Aug 2015

Delaying surgery until clinical triggers emerge leads to increased mortality in patients with mitral regurgitation

Patients with mitral regurgitation face a dilemma of whether to undergo corrective surgery early, when they might have no or few symptoms, or wait until their condition worsens. Current guidelines allow for watchful waiting until certain symptoms appear that would then "trigger" the decision to proceed with surgery.

12 Aug 2015

Researchers identify first gene that causes common form of mitral valve prolapse

An international research collaboration led by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified the first gene in which mutations cause the common form of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a heart valve disorder that affects almost 2.5 percent of the population.

11 Aug 2015

Lund University researchers discovered 'main switch' that regulates cell invaginations

Lack of microinvaginations in the cell membrane, caveolae, can cause serious diseases such as lipodystrophy and muscular dystrophy. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now discovered a "main switch" that regulates the formation of these invaginations.

7 Aug 2015

One in four people with implanted defibrillators experiences improvements in heart function

A Johns Hopkins-led study of outcomes among 1,200 people with implanted defibrillators -- devices intended to prevent sudden cardiac death from abnormal heart rhythms -- shows that within a few years of implantation, one in four experienced improvements in heart function substantial enough to put them over the clinical threshold that qualified them to get a defibrillator in the first place.

28 Jul 2015

Changes in body temperature can cause sudden cardiac death, finds SFU research

Scientists, including SFU professor Peter Ruben, have found that sudden death caused by cardiac arrhythmia can be triggered by changes in body temperature. The study is published in the Journal of Physiology.

17 Jul 2015

Johns Hopkins endocrinologists propose new protocol for inpatient glucose management

Borrowing a page from a winning team’s playbook, Johns Hopkins endocrinologist Nestoras Mathioudakis, M.D., and his colleagues are taking on the topic of managing hospital patients’ diabetes.

15 Jul 2015

Vanderbilt receives $12.8 million federal grant to develop better ways to predict effects of drugs in patients

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has received a five-year, $12.8 million grant from the federal government to develop better ways to predict how patients will respond to the drugs they're given.

10 Jul 2015

Faster weight gain during inpatient treatment safe, effective for anorexia patients

A new study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers of patients hospitalized with anorexia nervosa shows that a faster weight gain during inpatient treatment — well beyond what national standards recommend — is safe and effective.

9 Jul 2015

First ESC recommendations for patients with cardiac arrhythmias, CKD published in EP Europace

The first ESC recommendations for patients with cardiac arrhythmias and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are presented today at EHRA EUROPACE - CARDIOSTIM 2015 and published in EP Europace.

24 Jun 2015

Research: Patients test drive pacemaker outside the skin before deciding on permanent implant

Patients are test driving a pacemaker outside the skin before deciding whether to have a permanent implant, reveals novel research presented today at EHRA EUROPACE - CARDIOSTIM 2015 by Professor Michael Giudici, director of arrhythmia services in the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, US.

22 Jun 2015

Certain anti-nausea medications used after operation could increase risk for irregular heartbeat

Certain commonly prescribed anti-nausea medications given to patients during or after an operation could increase their risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, new research has found.

19 Jun 2015

AliveCor Mobile ECG now available in Canada

AliveCor, Inc., the leader in FDA-cleared ECG technology for smartphones, announced today that the AliveCor Mobile ECG is now available for patients and physicians in Canada. With the AliveCor Mobile ECG and the AliveECG app users can instantly detect the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib), a leading cause of stroke, in an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and manage their heart health with an FDA-cleared and Health Canada Licensed electrocardiogram ECG monitor, anywhere and at anytime.

From AliveCor, Inc. 19 Jun 2015

Simple process for obtaining induced pluripotent stem cells without use of reagents

For their ability to differentiate into other cell types, the embryonic stem cells hold a large potential in the medical industry. Their use, however, poses ethical questions due to the fact that in order to obtain them, it is necessary to destroy the embryo. For this reason, medical researches use the so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). In fact, it is possible to reprogram adult cells that can be obtained by simply drawing blood and making them "regress" to a similar state to that of embryonic stem cells.

10 Jun 2015

Research reveals how a faulty gene can cause fatal abnormal heart rhythms during exercise

University of Manchester research presented today at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference has revealed how a faulty gene can cause fatal abnormal heart rhythms that are brought on by exercise.