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.

Enrollment commences in multi-center clinical trial of CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure

CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc., an Atlanta-based company dedicated to developing and delivering unique extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial devices that harness the body's innate ability to repair damaged cardiovascular tissue, announced today that Franciscan Alliance/St. Francis Heart Center in Indianapolis, Indiana is the first site to enroll a patient in the multi-center clinical trial of the CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure to reduce the incidence of new onset postoperative atrial fibrillation.

13 Dec 2010

Warfarin may not be beneficial to some patients with atrial fibrillation: Researchers

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati and Massachusetts General Hospital have found that warfarin, a known anticoagulation (blood-thinning) drug, may not be as beneficial to some patients with atrial fibrillation as previously thought.

9 Dec 2010

St. Jude Medical announces advanced technologies for streamlined workflow in EP lab

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced several new products that provide physicians and hospitals with the opportunity for improved efficiency and information connectivity in the electrophysiology (EP) lab. The EnSite Connect™ Remote Support feature, EnSite Courier™ Module, EnSite Velocity v2.0™ Software and recently launched EnSite Derexi™ Module are advanced technologies that allow a streamlined workflow within the EP lab.

9 Dec 2010

New website provides guidelines to optimal stroke care

The 2010 Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care emphasize the need to prevent stroke patients from falling through the cracks as they move from the ER to in-hospital care to rehabilitation therapy and back to the community. The recommendations were released today by the Canadian Stroke Network and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

8 Dec 2010

Proactive therapies may prove to avert stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation

One evening last March, Larry Ambrose left his bed in the middle of the night to check the time. Much to the 71-year-old's surprise, he was only able to see three out of the four glowing numbers on the digital clock in his kitchen. Ambrose returned to bed, but within days was hospitalized for what was later diagnosed as a stroke. After extensive testing, his physicians told him they could not determine the cause.

8 Dec 2010

Sentara Heart Hospital commences procedures in AtriCure DEEP AF feasibility trial

Sentara Heart Hospital is breaking new ground in cardiac care and treatment. Surgeons and Cardiologists at Sentara Heart Hospital are first to begin enrolling and performing trial cases in the AtriCure DEEP AF feasibility trial. The first procedure in the country was performed in a new, state-of-the-art hybrid operating room at Sentara Heart Hospital by Jonathan Philpott, M.D., Director of the Sentara Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Program, Ian Woollett, M.D., and John Onufer, M.D., Medical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology.

3 Dec 2010

AtriCure initiates enrollment in DEEP AF feasibility trial

AtriCure, Inc., a medical device company and a leader in cardiac surgical ablation systems and systems for the exclusion of the left atrial appendage, announced initial patient enrollment in its DEEP AF feasibility trial. The first procedure was performed in a new, state-of-the-art hybrid room at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia by Jonathan Philpott, M.D., Director of the Sentara Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Program, Ian Woollett, M.D., and John Onufer, M.D., Medical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology.

3 Dec 2010

Daiichi Sankyo completes patient enrollment in Phase III edoxaban study for AF

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (TSE: 4568) announced today that it has successfully completed patient enrollment for its Phase III ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 clinical study of edoxaban, a direct, specific, oral Factor Xa inhibitor that is being investigated in two different dosing regimens given once daily, to prevent the occurrence of strokes and systemic embolic events (SEE) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

2 Dec 2010

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

In a new investigational study of VYTORIN, the cholesterol-lowering medicine from Merck, VYTORIN 10/20 mg reduced the incidence of first major vascular events defined as non-fatal heart attacks or cardiac death, stroke or any revascularization procedure by a highly statistically significant 16.1 percent compared to placebo, Study of Heart and Renal Protection study involved more than 9,000 patients who, on average, had advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)

22 Nov 2010

Phase 3 study of VEGF Trap-Eye regimen meets primary endpoint in patients with wet AMD

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare announced that in two parallel Phase 3 studies in patients with the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), all regimens of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept ophthalmic solution), including VEGF Trap-Eye dosed every two months, successfully met the primary endpoint compared to the current standard of care, ranibizumab dosed every month.

22 Nov 2010

Insertable cardiac monitors may help physicians diagnose, treat patient with syncope: PICTURE trial

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing that use of its Reveal family of Insertable Cardiac Monitors led to diagnosis and specific treatment for 78 percent (170 of 218) of patients who experienced a recurrent syncopal (fainting) event during the course of the study.

20 Nov 2010

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer discontinue Phase 3 APPRAISE-2 trial in patients with ACS

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer today reported that the companies have discontinued the Phase 3 APPRAISE-2 clinical trial in patients with recent Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) treated with apixaban or placebo in addition to mono or dual antiplatelet therapy.

19 Nov 2010

NAVISTAR THERMOCOOL Catheter improves quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

According to data appearing today in Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, patients with a common heart rhythm disorder, called atrial fibrillation, who were treated with catheter ablation using the NAVISTAR THERMOCOOL Catheter, reported markedly fewer symptoms and substantially improved quality of life than patients treated with antiarrhythmia drugs at one year.

18 Nov 2010

Warfarin taken along with herbal, dietary supplements may be dangerous

Herbal and dietary supplements are popular. People claim they make their joints feel better, their bones stronger, and their hearts healthier. But a recent study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City shows that many of these people may not realize their favorite supplement, mixed with prescription medications, may be putting their lives in danger, especially if they are taking warfarin - a blood-thinning medication commonly prescribed to patients living with atrial fibrillation to lower their risk of stroke.

17 Nov 2010

St. Jude Medical and ZONARE enter partnership in ultrasound imaging

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company and ZONARE Medical Systems, a leading provider of premium ultrasound systems, today announced they have entered into a development and marketing agreement. Under this agreement, the companies will combine the St. Jude Medical intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter and the ZONARE z.one Convertible Ultrasound system technology, and co-market an ultrasound system for intracardiac (inside the heart) imaging.

17 Nov 2010

Anti-stroke blood thinner shows promise in large clinical trials

In new and extensive clinical trials an experimental blood thinner called rivaroxaban is at least as good at preventing strokes as the drug warfarin – that has been the most widely used agent for the past five decades in people with erratic heartbeats called atrial fibrillations. Researchers said this Monday that this drug also sharply reduces the risk of major bleeding that is seen with warfarin.

16 Nov 2010

St. Jude presents results from ASSERT trial for stroke at American Heart Association

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced the results of the ASymptomatic AF and Stroke Evaluation in Pacemaker Patients and the AF Reduction Atrial Pacing Trial (ASSERT), a St. Jude Medical sponsored trial conducted by the Population Health Research Institute of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Canada.

16 Nov 2010

Bayer presents results from Phase III ROCKET AF trial for atrial fibrillation at American Heart Association

Bayer today announced the results from the pivotal, double-blind Phase III, ROCKET AF trial. In the study, rivaroxaban demonstrated superiority to warfarin in reducing the risk of stroke and non-CNS systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

16 Nov 2010

Emerging blood thinners to prevent stroke

As blood thinners emerge in the market for stroke prevention many experts believe is still too early to predict how they will stack up in the $15 billion a year market.

15 Nov 2010

High-dose prescription omega-3 does not reduce recurrence of atrial fibrillation

Although some data have suggested that omega-3 fatty acid supplements, such as from fish oil, may improve treatment of atrial fibrillation, a randomized trial with more than 600 patients finds that treatment with high-dose prescription omega-3 did not reduce the recurrence of atrial fibrillation over six months, according to a study that will appear in the December 1 issue of JAMA. The study is being released early online because it will be presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting.

15 Nov 2010

Atrial Fibrillation News and Research

Further Reading

Enrollment commences in multi-center clinical trial of CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure

Warfarin may not be beneficial to some patients with atrial fibrillation: Researchers

St. Jude Medical announces advanced technologies for streamlined workflow in EP lab

New website provides guidelines to optimal stroke care

Proactive therapies may prove to avert stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation

Sentara Heart Hospital commences procedures in AtriCure DEEP AF feasibility trial

AtriCure initiates enrollment in DEEP AF feasibility trial

Daiichi Sankyo completes patient enrollment in Phase III edoxaban study for AF

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

Phase 3 study of VEGF Trap-Eye regimen meets primary endpoint in patients with wet AMD

Insertable cardiac monitors may help physicians diagnose, treat patient with syncope: PICTURE trial

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer discontinue Phase 3 APPRAISE-2 trial in patients with ACS

NAVISTAR THERMOCOOL Catheter improves quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

Warfarin taken along with herbal, dietary supplements may be dangerous

St. Jude Medical and ZONARE enter partnership in ultrasound imaging

Anti-stroke blood thinner shows promise in large clinical trials

St. Jude presents results from ASSERT trial for stroke at American Heart Association

Bayer presents results from Phase III ROCKET AF trial for atrial fibrillation at American Heart Association

Emerging blood thinners to prevent stroke

High-dose prescription omega-3 does not reduce recurrence of atrial fibrillation

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