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.

Atomic-level structure of cardiac sodium channel

Atomic-level studies of the architecture of tiny sodium channel proteins, critical to generating electrical signals that start off each beat of the heart, are imparting striking details about their function, malfunctions, disruption by many disease mutations, and response to medication.

20 Dec 2019

Harmful alcohol consumption pattern may damage heart tissue

A pattern of harmful alcohol consumption, or heavy drinking, increases level of blood biomarkers indicating heart tissue damage, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

18 Dec 2019

Getting closer to personalized medicine for patients with atrial fibrillation

Patients with atrial fibrillation, the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia, are closer to accessing personalized medicine.

16 Dec 2019

Researchers show why corrective surgery is not always beneficial for irregular heartbeat

Researchers at Imperial have shown how the chaotic electrical signals underlying irregular heart rhythms lead to the failure of standard treatments.

9 Dec 2019

LUNAC-led drug discovery project receives funding under Innovate UK’s Biomedical Catalyst program

LUNAC Therapeutics, a UK based drug discovery company focused on the identification and development of advanced anticoagulants with minimal bleeding risk, today announced that, along with the Medicines Discovery Catapult and the University of Leeds, it has been awarded £3.14M funding under Innovate UK’s Biomedical Catalyst program.

4 Dec 2019

Some antiarrhythmic medications for AFib less effective in obese patients

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is the most common type of irregular heartbeat, and it is associated with increased mortality. While researchers have identified a causal link between obesity and AFib, the underlying mechanism of how obesity contributes to the heart arrhythmia is still unknown.

27 Nov 2019

Geospatial model helps compare costs of different anticoagulant therapies

Appropriately selected anticoagulation therapy can help to reduce the medical costs of patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that direct oral anticoagulants can be a more cost-effective alternative than traditional warfarin therapy when the patient's place of residence is taken into consideration.

27 Nov 2019

Research could offer new hope for the prevention, treatment of deep vein thrombosis

New University of Birmingham research funded by the British Heart Foundation could improve treatments for a potentially deadly condition that affects tens of thousands of people in the UK each year.

26 Nov 2019

BGU researchers discover gene that causes nighttime atrial fibrillation

Genetic studies spanning three generations of a Persian Jewish family by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. have identified a gene that causes nighttime atrial fibrillation (AFib).

18 Nov 2019

Good fitness linked to longer life without dementia

It is important to say that it is never too late to begin exercising. The average participant in our study was around 60 years old at baseline, and improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness was strongly linked to lower dementia risk.

14 Nov 2019

Tall people more likely to develop atrial fibrillation

Size may matter when it comes to having a safe and steady heart. A new study shows tall people are more likely to develop from an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation (AFib).

13 Nov 2019

Height may be a causal risk factor for atrial fibrillation

Taller people have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other complications, according to a new Penn Medicine study.

13 Nov 2019

Clinical benefit of anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation decreases with age, shows study

The net clinical benefit of anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation (AF) -- one of the most important causes of irregular heartbeats and a leading cause of stroke -- decreases with age, as the risk of death from other factors diminishes their benefit in older patients, according to a study led by researchers at UC San Francisco.

11 Nov 2019

Study identifies a kinase as potential target to treat heart failure

An unexplored kinase in heart muscle cells may be a good target to treat heart failure, a disease that is only incrementally delayed by existing therapies.

31 Oct 2019

Proactive administration of amiodarone to patients after common heart surgery improves outcomes

Proactive administration of amiodarone to patients recovering from a common heart surgery shows promise in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation, a serious and expensive complication with potential long-term consequences.

24 Oct 2019

Electrical stimulation of vagus nerve on the ear reduces postoperative atrial fibrillation risk

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common complications following heart surgery, affecting one in three patients. This adverse side-effect, with symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest, can normally be suppressed with sometimes strong medication.

23 Oct 2019

Researchers use mouse model to better understand mechanism involved in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia in humans. This condition increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, dementia and death, and current treatments have suboptimal efficacy and carry side effects.

21 Oct 2019

American Indians experience higher risk of atrial fibrillation, study finds

Irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation (AFib) occurred more often among American Indians than among other racial and ethnic groups, according to new research published in Circulation, the American Heart Association's premier cardiovascular research journal.

21 Oct 2019

Fitbit and Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance team up to address gaps in atrial fibrillation

The Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance and Fitbit today announced at the TIME 100 Health Summit in New York that they are working together to help drive timely diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AFib) with the aim of improving earlier detection in individuals at increased risk of stroke.

17 Oct 2019

Frequent drinking strongest risk factor for atrial fibrillation

A new study published on October 17, 2019, in the journal EP Europace, shows that people who drink alcohol almost every day, even in small amounts, are more at risk to develop an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AF), which is linked to a five-fold higher risk of stroke.