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.

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

St. Jude Medical reports net sales of $1.422 billion in fourth quarter 2013

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today reported sales and net earnings for the fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 28, 2013.

22 Jan 2014

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals' Iclusig now commercially available to patients in the U.S.

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the commercial availability of Iclusig (ponatinib) for adult patients with refractory chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia-chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the United States. ARIAD has begun shipping Iclusig to Biologics, Inc., its exclusive specialty pharmacy, which is now filling prescriptions from physicians and distributing the cancer medicine to patients.

18 Jan 2014

New minimally invasive procedure for AF patients who are intolerant of blood-thinning medications

Sanford Heart Hospitals in Fargo and Sioux Falls now provide a new, minimally invasive procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who are intolerant of blood-thinning medications. Atrial fibrillation is a heart disorder that affects nearly 3 million adults in the United States.

15 Jan 2014

Study shows that anticoagulant medicine appears to protect patients against stroke

Heart palpitations. Shortness of breath. Tiredness. More and more people can recognise the symptoms of atrial fibrillation, which is one of the most common types of heart disease.

9 Jan 2014

Kalila Medical receives CE mark approval for Vado Steerable Introducer Sheath

Kalila Medical, a privately held medical device company focused on the development of next-generation steerable catheter technologies, today announced it has received CE mark approval for its Vado Steerable Introducer Sheath for vascular and intracardiac access including Atrial Fibrillation procedures.

8 Jan 2014

Daiichi Sankyo submits Marketing Authorization Application for edoxaban to EMA

Daiichi Sankyo, Company Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced that the Marketing Authorization Application for its investigational, oral, once-daily direct factor Xa-inhibitor edoxaban has been submitted to the European Medicines Agency.

7 Jan 2014

Porter Adventist Hospital first in Colorado to receive full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status from SCPC

On January 2, Porter Adventist Hospital was notified that it is now the first and only health care facility in Colorado to receive full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.