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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Higher risk of bleeds with dabigatran but lower risk of brain hemorrhage

Blacks and patients with impaired kidney function may be particularly at risk of bleeding if given the anticoagulant dabigatran, according to an analysis of Medicare data. Compared with warfarin, dabigatran had higher bleeding risks overall but a lower risk of intracranial hemorrhage.

GreatCall adds AliveCor heart monitor to mobile health portfolio

October 30, 2014 - GreatCall, Inc., the leader in creating mobile health and safety solutions for active aging, is bringing the ability to affordably track heart health anywhere, anytime to its Touch3 smartphone as a pilot program. The AliveCor® Heart Monitor is now available as a Touch3 accessory, enabling those with suspected or diagnosed heart conditions as well as those at risk of heart conditions to fully participate in their own cardiac health.

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Larger dose dabigatran offers benefits in elderly patients

Elderly patients given upper doses of the anticoagulant dabigatran had reduced risk for stroke, intracranial hemorrhage and mortality compared with warfarin, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Circulation. However, dabigatran had an increased risk of major gastrointestinal bleeding. 

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The fate of edoxaban

An FDA advisory panel meets today to discuss the safety and efficacy of yet another novel oral anticoagulant. The standards for approval may be shifting, though.

Abbott dives into EP market with 2 acquisitions

Abbott will buy two companies that develop electrophysiology products in a move designed to make Abbott a player in the catheter-based electrophysiology market. It also named a chief to lead the business.

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Edoxaban gets its turn before FDA panel

An FDA advisory committee is scheduled to review an application for another novel oral anticoagulant to reduce the risk of stroke or systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

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FDA approves St. Jude’s contact-force ablation catheter

The FDA approved St. Jude Medical’s contact-force ablation catheter for treating patients with atrial fibrillation.

Improved LVEF may allow physicians to switch patients to pacemakers

Some patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-Ds) may qualify for pacemaker mode. After long-term improvements were seen with some patients, researchers posited that when left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) normalizes and it’s time to change the batteries, it may also be time to flip the switch from D to P.

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Around the web

Health Imaging
Use of AI opportunistic screening in CT for cardiovascular disease

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

Health Imaging
New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

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

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