Electrophysiology

The cardiac subspecialty of electrophysiology (EP) diagnoses and treats arrhythmias. This includes use of pacemakers to treat bradycardia, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) for tachycardia, heart failure and patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and cardiac ablation treatments to treat heart rhythm disorders.

cross market hospital mergers

Abiomed, Biosense Webster, Cerenovus now all known as Johnson & Johnson MedTech

These companies were already part of the Johnson & Johnson family, but they had still retained their previous brand names. Now, each one is officially going by Johnson & Johnson MedTech. 

cardiologists evaluating the human heart to provide a treatment strategy

Treating AFib with another ablation after PVI provides little value

Care teams regularly targeting AFib symptoms with LVA ablation in addition to PVI may want to reconsider. 

The MODULAR ATP study demonstrated a high rate of successful leadless pacemaker implantation with few complications and stable pacing parameters. The system uses the Emblem Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator (S-ICD) System and the new Empower Leadless Pacemaker from Boston Scientific.

Completely leadless cardiac rhythm management system impresses

According to new MODULAR ATP data, the leadless system was associated with a high success rate and few complications. Boston Scientific plans on seeking FDA approval in 2025. 

doctor examines patient data on their tablet

PaceMate acquires Medtronic workflow tech, promising ‘unparalleled support’ for heart patients

The Florida-based healthcare company, already a leading name in cardiac data management, said the acquisition will help its technology reach more heart teams than ever before.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Defibtech, a Nihon Kohden company, is recalling its RMU-2000 ARM XR Chest Compression Device due to significant safety concerns. This is a Class I recall, which means the FDA believes using the device “may cause serious injury or death.”

Automated chest compression device recalled after patient death

Regulators emphasized that these devices should not be used due to significant safety risks. 

Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with the Watchman FLX device from Boston Scientific is associated with positive outcomes and limited adverse events after one year, according to new findings published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.[1] Many prior Watchman FLX studies, including PINNACLE FLX, had focused on the device’s performance in a controlled setting. The study’s authors hoped to gain a better understanding of its real-world impact by reviewing registry data from more than 97,000 U.S

LAAO with Watchman FLX associated with positive 1-year outcomes, real-world data confirm

Researchers hoped to gain a better understanding of the device's real-world impact by reviewing registry data from more than 97,000 U.S. patients. Overall, the Watchman FLX was linked to positive data and limited adverse events one year after treatment. 

Dan Blumenthal, MD, MBA, chief quality officer at the Cardiovascular Associates of America, and a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, spoke at the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) 2024 meeting business sessions on how changes in Medicare payments will impact electrophysiology and cardiology more broadly.

What cardiologists should expect as U.S. healthcare payment models evolve

Cardiologist Dan Blumenthal, MD, MBA, explains how changes in Medicare payments will greatly impact cardiology in the years ahead. In just a few short years, the business side of cardiology could look substantially different than it does today. 

Huxley Medical, an Atlanta-based medical device company, has secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its new Sansa device, a chest-worn patch designed to help diagnose sleep apnea in addition to tracking patient data with electrocardiograms (ECGs) a variety of sensors.

FDA clears chest-worn patch for simultaneous ECG, sleep apnea monitoring

The new device from Huxley Medical offers care teams a way to monitor patients for signs of sleep apnea while also keeping a close eye on their heart health. 

Around the web

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

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