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.

Safeguard Scientifics reports net income of $24 million for fourth quarter 2013

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. today announced fourth quarter and full-year 2013 financial results. For the three months ended December 31, 2013, Safeguard's net income was $24.0 million, or $1.10 per share, compared to net loss of $10.8 million, or $0.51 per share for the same period in 2012. For the year ended December 31, 2013, Safeguard's net loss was $35.5 million, or $1.66 per share, compared to $39.4 million, or $1.88 per share for the same period in 2012.

6 Mar 2014

Doctors devise new way to treat atrial fibrillation

Doctors in the U.S. and Japan have devised a way to treat atrial fibrillation by adding a little alcohol to minimally invasive therapies that target a cluster of misbehaving nerves known to trigger arrhythmia. In the most recent Journal of the American College of Cardiology (online before print), the researchers say the new therapy may dull or stop the transmission of electrical impulses that cause atrial fibrillation.

4 Mar 2014

Loyola University Medical Center offers new high-tech catheter device for treating atrial fibrillation

Loyola University Medical Center is the first hospital in Illinois to offer a new high-tech catheter device that can improve outcomes of patients treated for atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heartbeat.

28 Feb 2014

Scientists create 3-D elastic membrane that is precisely shaped to match heart's epicardium

Igor Efimov, PhD, at the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis and an international team of biomedical engineers and materials scientists have created a 3-D elastic membrane made of a soft, flexible, silicon material that is precisely shaped to match the heart's epicardium, or the outer layer of the wall of the heart.

26 Feb 2014

AAN guideline suggests people with irregular heartbeat to take oral anticoagulants to prevent stroke

An updated guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommends that people with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, take oral anticoagulants, a type of blood thinner pill, to prevent stroke.

25 Feb 2014

Pharmacyclics total revenue for fourth quarter 2013 increases 113% to $123.6 million

Pharmacyclics, Inc. today reported financial results and recent developments for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2013.

20 Feb 2014

Researchers use cardiac monitor to assess atrial fibrillation after cryptogenic stroke

Larry Ambrose woke up one night, wandered into his kitchen but couldn't completely read the time on his microwave. A few days later when he noticed his blood pressure was unusually high, he went to the hospital and was diagnosed as having a stroke.

From Medtronic 20 Feb 2014

Study shows one-quarter of high risk patients do not receive anticoagulants after ablation of AF

One-quarter of high risk patients do not receive anticoagulants after ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to the latest survey of European practice.

19 Feb 2014

Study reveals overall success rate of AF ablation in Europe

One-quarter of high risk patients do not receive anticoagulants after ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to the latest survey of European practice.

18 Feb 2014

Clot-busting tPA therapy for ischemic stroke patients can avoid lengthy, restrictive monitoring in ICU

A Johns Hopkins study of patients with ischemic stroke suggests that many of those who receive prompt hospital treatment with "clot-busting" tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy can avoid lengthy, restrictive monitoring in an intensive care unit (ICU).

13 Feb 2014

Stroke hospitalization and death rates associated with weather changes

Stroke hospitalization and death rates may rise and fall with changes in environmental temperature and dew point, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2014.

12 Feb 2014

St. Joseph's Hospital opens new $20 million Heart Institute

St. Joseph's Hospital entered the next era of cardiac care by opening a new $20 million Heart Institute on Feb. 10, 2014. St. Joseph's Hospital Heart Institute is one of the most advanced and comprehensive centers for cardiovascular medicine in Florida, performing more than 50,000 adult cardiac catheterizations. It is also has the only pediatric catheterization program in Hillsborough County.

11 Feb 2014

Cardiome Pharma's subsidiary signs agreement with Tamro to distribute BRINAVESS in Sweden

Cardiome Pharma Corp. today announced that its subsidiary, Correvio GmbH, has entered into an agreement with Tamro AB, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, to distribute BRINAVESS (vernakalant IV) to customers in the Swedish market.

11 Feb 2014

Experts release stroke-prevention guidelines for women

While stroke occurrences have been on a consistent decline in the United States since the early 1900s, more women are still dying from them than are men. To aid in curbing these deaths, first-of-their-kind stroke-prevention guidelines for women have been released with the help of one University of Alabama at Birmingham expert.

7 Feb 2014

Findings raise hope for new oral anticoagulants to treat patients with atrial fibrillation

Approximately one in two patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib) do not optimally reduce their risk of stroke or bleeding when treated with the most widely prescribed oral-anticoagulant therapy, according to a study published online in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

From Quest Diagnostics 5 Feb 2014

New MRI can predict which atrial fibrillation patients are most likely to benefit from catheter ablation

A new type of contrast MRI can predict which heart patients with atrial fibrillation are most likely to benefit from a treatment called catheter ablation, according to a landmark multi-center study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

5 Feb 2014

Beaumont Health System use new balloon ablation technology to treat atrial fibrillation

Beaumont Health System is the first center outside of Japan to use a new balloon ablation technology to treat atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder that affects about 3 million people in the U.S.

31 Jan 2014

Cardiome Pharma files shelf prospectus and registration statement

Cardiome Pharma Corp. today announced that it has filed a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with securities regulatory authorities in Canada, other than Québec, and a corresponding shelf registration statement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on Form F-10.

30 Jan 2014

Aspirin prescribed more often for stroke prevention in AF despite of dangerous side effects

Aspirin is still overprescribed for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) despite the potential for dangerous side effects, according to research published today.

29 Jan 2014

London hospital implants world’s first leadless pacemaker

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced the first post-approval implant of the Nanostim™ leadless pacemaker in the U.K. The world's first retrievable leadless pacemaker was implanted at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London by Professor Richard Schilling.

27 Jan 2014