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.

New AAN guideline provides direction for use of blood thinners during surgery

A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology will help people who take blood thinners decide whether or not to take them during surgery or other medical procedures.

28 May 2013

EHRA EUROPACE 2013 to feature late breaking clinical trials

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear the results of cutting edge studies, and to learn about the new Guidelines which are likely to have a tremendous impact on the European health care system.

18 May 2013

Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation honors Beaumont cardiologist for improving health care in Michigan

Kavitha Chinnaiyan, M.D., director of Advanced Cardiac Imaging Education at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, has received the Frank J. McDevitt, D.O., Award for Excellence in Health Policy Research for Physicians.

14 May 2013

New 3-D technology to see precise source of atrial fibrillation in the heart

Researchers at the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center have developed a new 3-D technology that for the first time allows cardiologists the ability to see the precise source of atrial fibrillation in the heart - a breakthrough for a condition that affects nearly three million Americans.

13 May 2013

Heart Rhythm Society launches Citywide Awareness Campaign in Denver about cardiac arrhythmia

Colorado Governor John W. Hickenlooper has proclaimed May to be Cardiac Arrhythmia Awareness Month (#RhythmAwareness), calling attention to the need for greater public awareness throughout the State about two serious heart rhythm disorders, atrial fibrillation (also known as AF or AFib) and sudden cardiac arrest (also known as SCA).

8 May 2013

BIOTRONIK receives FDA approval for ICD/CRT-D series

BIOTRONIK, a leading manufacturer of cardiovascular medical technology, announced that the Food and Drug Administration granted approval for its Ilesto 7 implantable cardioverter-defibrillator/cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator series.

8 May 2013

Schizophrenia cardiovascular risk under-recognized in primary care

UK researchers have found that despite being a major contributor to premature deaths among patients with schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease is less likely to be recorded on their primary care records than those of people without schizophrenia.

30 Apr 2013

Atopy’s immunologic properties change with age in asthma

The strength of interaction between atopy and elevated eosinophil levels in asthma decreases with age, a study finds.

30 Apr 2013

Kcentra gets FDA approval for adults with acute major bleeding

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Kcentra (Prothrombin Complex Concentrate, Human) for the urgent reversal of vitamin K antagonist anticoagulation in adults with acute major bleeding.

30 Apr 2013

Overweight exacerbates air pollution symptoms in childhood asthma

Children with asthma who are overweight are more likely to experience symptoms after exposure to indoor air pollution than normal-weight asthmatic children, show study findings.

29 Apr 2013

Undetected arrhythmia could underlie some wake-up strokes

Unrecognized atrial fibrillation could be a cause of some wake-up strokes, say researchers who found an increased prevalence of the arrhythmia in patients who had stroke symptoms on waking.

29 Apr 2013

Heart Failure Congress 2013 to feature more than 100 scientific sessions on heart failure

The Heart Failure Congress 2013 promises more science than ever this year, with a record number of abstracts submitted. The congress takes place 25-28 May at the Centro de Congressos de Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal.

29 Apr 2013

Practical guidelines on the use of new oral anticoagulants

A practical guide on the use of the new oral anticoagulants has been produced by the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology.

29 Apr 2013

Schizophrenia cardiovascular risk under-recognized in primary care

25 Apr 2013

Perosphere, Daiichi Sankyo sign clinical trial agreement

Perosphere Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced today that they have entered into a clinical trial agreement under which Daiichi Sankyo will support and co-sponsor a phase 1 clinical study testing the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of PER977 to reverse the anticoagulant activity of edoxaban, Daiichi Sankyo's investigational oral, once-daily, direct factor Xa-inhibitor.

25 Apr 2013

ARCA biopharma, Medtronic to study effectiveness of Gencaro for prevention of atrial fibrillation

ARCA biopharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing genetically-targeted therapies for cardiovascular diseases, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Medtronic, Inc., a leader in medical technologies to improve the treatment of chronic diseases, including cardiac rhythm disorders, to collaborate on ARCA's proposed clinical trial, known as GENETIC-AF, of its lead developmental drug Gencaro (bucindolol hydrochloride).

From Medtronic 23 Apr 2013