Heart Rhythm

Hearts should have normal rhythm to their beats, but when these beats are out of synch, it causes inefficient pumping of blood. Irregular heart arrhythmias occur when the electrical signals that coordinate the heart's beats do not work properly. This can cause beats that are too fast (tachycardia), or too slow (bradycardia). Tachycardias include atrial fibrillation (AFib), supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia (VT). Bradycardias include sick sinus syndrome and conduction block. Electrophysiology arrhythmia treatments include medications, life style changes, and the EP lab interventions of catheter ablation, and implantable pacemakers or defibrillators.

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HRS.15: Safety and efficacy of VGLB procedure similar to RF ablation

BOSTON—Preliminary results of a randomized trial found the HeartLight visually-guided laser balloon (VGLB) system was as safe and effective as irrigated radiofrequency ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

At Heart Rhythm 2015, an international panel of experts provides concise diagnosis and treatment recommendations to improve quality of care for patients with specific cardiovascular syndromes

The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) has released a first-of-its-kind expert consensus statement on three specific cardiovascular disorders that also involve the autonomic nervous system. The 2015 Heart Rhythm Society Expert Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, and Vasovagal Syncope was written by an international group of experts and presented today at Heart Rhythm 2015, the Heart Rhythm Society’s 36th Annual Scientific Sessions.

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HRS.15: Early Micra TPS analysis shows 100 percent success in implantation

BOSTON—All 140 patients analyzed and enrolled in a single-arm, multicenter trial had successful implants with the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), a miniaturized leadless pacemaker that is not yet approved in the U.S. The mean implant time was 37 minutes.

HRS.15: Uninterrupted rivaroxaban rivals warfarin with ablations

Patients with atrial fibrillation who received an uninterrupted novel oral anticoagulant during catheter ablation fared on par with those treated with an uninterrupted vitamin K antagonist. In either case, bleeding rates in the clinical trial were low.

HRS.15: Cryoballoon technique as effective as radiofrequency ablation

BOSTON—A single-center randomized trial found that pulmonary vein isolation with the cryoballoon ablation technique was as effective as open irrigated radiofrequency in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) publishes new standards for electrophysiology (EP) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD)

Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) has just released the first-ever electrophysiology (EP) and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) standards for accreditation. Driven by the latest available clinical evidence, the EP and ICD standards are a comprehensive review of interventional procedures in patients and adults with heart rhythm disorders.

Abbott and GE Healthcare announce agreement to improve treatment of people with atrial fibrillation

Abbott and GE Healthcare today announced an agreement that will bring real-time, patient-specific data about the heart's electrical activity to cardiac electrophysiology labs around the world to speed up the diagnosis of the sources of atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders.

St. Jude Medical expands portfolio of MRI-compatible devices to high voltage in Europe

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced CE Mark approval of expanded labelling for its Ellipse™ implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), in addition to its Durata™ and Optisure™ defibrillation leads, allowing existing or future patients with these technologies to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans without compromising device performance. The company also announced today that it has received CE Mark approval for its Assurity MRI™ and Endurity MRI™ pacemaker device families. The approvals further expand St. Jude Medical’s MRI-conditional device portfolio in Europe. 

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