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.

Combination of atrial fibrillation and carotid artery disease increases patient's risk of dementia

Atrial fibrillation patients who are diagnosed with carotid artery disease face higher risks for developing dementia, according to new research from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.

14 May 2018

New combined risk score shows improved effectiveness in predicting stroke risk of Afib patients

Doctors know patients with atrial fibrillation are at a higher risk of having a stroke, and now a new study finds that integrating two separate clinical risk score models helps clinicians more accurately assess the stroke risk of patients with Afib.

11 May 2018

Biosense Webster enrolls and treats first patient in QDOT AF study

Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies announced today that Biosense Webster, a worldwide leader in the diagnosis and treatment of heart arrhythmias, has enrolled and treated the first patient in its QDOT AF Study.

From Johnson & Johnson 11 May 2018

People with atrial fibrillation should continue to be treated even if heart rhythm returns to normal

Patients with an abnormal heart rhythm that can leave them at a higher risk of suffering from stroke still need treatment even after their heart rhythm seems to have returned to normal, say researchers at the University of Birmingham.

11 May 2018

The impact of sleep apnea is worse for women, shows study

The statistics are startling. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 26 percent of adults ages 30 to 70 have sleep apnea.

9 May 2018

Study shows cardiovascular problems are more common in uterine cancer survivors

A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicates that survivors of uterine cancer are more likely to experience cardiovascular problems years after treatment.

8 May 2018

UIC scientists discover way to generate heart cells for research on causes of AFib

University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have discovered a way turn pluripotent stem cells into atrial cells, which make up the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart. The discovery will enable them to better study atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder also known as AFib, which originates in the heart's atria.

3 May 2018

Noise annoyance associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation

With an increasing level of noise, the incidence of atrial fibrillation also increases dramatically. Scientists from the Department of Cardiology at the Mainz University Medical Center were able to prove this with data from the Gutenberg Health Study.

3 May 2018

Results of AVIATOR 2 international registry announced at SCAI 2018 Scientific Sessions

Results of the AVIATOR 2 international registry are being presented as late-breaking clinical science at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2018 Scientific Sessions.

28 Apr 2018

Study shows effectiveness of novel risk tool to predict readmission rates after TAVR

A new study looked at the effectiveness of novel risk tool to predict 30-day readmission rates in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

27 Apr 2018

Hippo pathway plays essential role in embryonic development of the mouse heart

Using a technology that provides a 'high-resolution view' of the status of individual cells, a team of researchers has gained new insights into the embryonic development of the mouse heart.

24 Apr 2018

Researchers present case study of management of rheumatic mitral regurgitation in woman contemplating pregnancy

In the current issue of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications (Volume 2, Number 4, 2018, pp 439-446(8); DOI: https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2017.0027, researchers Yee-Ping Sun and Patrick T. O'Gara, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA present a case study of management of rheumatic mitral regurgitation in a woman contemplating pregnancy.

19 Apr 2018

Obese patients more likely to develop rapid and irregular heart rate

People with obesity are more likely to develop a rapid and irregular heart rate, called atrial fibrillation, which can lead to stroke, heart failure and other complications, according to Penn State researchers.

18 Apr 2018

Exercise may be best defense for people with genetic predisposition to heart disease

Exercise may be the best way to keep hearts healthy - and it works even for people with a genetic pre-disposition for heart disease, according to new findings in the American Heart Association's journal, Circulation.

10 Apr 2018

Researchers find link between common genetic variant and AFib risk in Latinos

"There is a paradox at play when it comes to atrial fibrillation in the Latino population," said Dr. Dawood Darbar.

9 Apr 2018

Physical fitness helps reduce genetic risk of heart disease, study finds

Keeping fit, even if you're born with a high genetic risk for heart disease, still works to keep your heart healthy, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

9 Apr 2018

New study investigates upstream factors for atrial fibrillation-related dementia and stroke

A new study from Dr. Lin Yee Chen, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division at the University of Minnesota Medical School, could clarify whether it is atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) or a large or abnormally functioning left atrium that is the principal driver of poor health outcomes, such as stroke and cognitive decline in patients with A-Fib.

4 Apr 2018

Largest-ever study uncovers new genetic contributors to stroke

An international research group, including scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, studying 520,000 people from around the world has identified 22 new genetic risk factors for stroke, tripling the number of gene regions known to affect stroke risk.

28 Mar 2018

Depression may be linked to increased risk of atrial fibrillation

A study has shown that depression may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder that can cause clot formation and stroke.

23 Mar 2018

Study explores use of smartwatch to detect atrial fibrillation

A smartwatch coupled with a machine learning algorithm was able to detect irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, with high accuracy in a small group of patients undergoing treatment to restore normal heart rhythm but with lower accuracy in a larger group of people with a self-reported history of AF.

21 Mar 2018