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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AHA: Patients benefit with changes in ICD programming

Patients whose implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) were programmed to provide high-rate or delayed therapy were less likely to receive inappropriate shocks compared with conventional programming, according to MADIT-RIT results. The two approaches also offered survival benefits.

Subcutaneous ICD study details initial experiences

A study of entirely subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (S-ICD) found the devices effectively treat ventricular arrhythmias. The results, published Nov. 6 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, come on the heels of FDA approval of an S-ICD for the treatment of patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

AHA: No evidence fish oil prevents AF in postsurgical patients

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational randomized trial of more than 1,500 cardiac surgery patients revealed that ingestion of fish oil prior to and after surgery had no impact on the rate of post-surgical atrial fibrillation (AF). Findings from OPERA were presented Nov.5 at the American Heart Association meeting in Los Angeles and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Carrel takes helm of AtriCure

AtriCure, a developer of cardiac surgical ablation systems for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and systems for the exclusion of the left atrial appendage, announced that Michael Carrel has been appointed as president and CEO, effective immediately.

FDA: No more bleeds with new use of dabigatran

The FDA has found that that bleeding rates associated with new use of dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) do not appear to be higher than bleeding rates associated with new use of warfarin, after evaluating new information about the anticoagulants.

St. Jude posts Q3 losses

St. Jude Medical has reported a decrease in sales and net earnings for the 2012 fiscal third quarter, which ended Sept. 29.

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Drug therapy vs. ablation in AF: It’s a dead heat

Drug therapy should remain the first-line treatment for most patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), researchers advised in a study published Oct. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Based on the results, catheter ablation also offers a reasonable option, according to the author of an accompanying editorial.

Bos Sci buys EP ablation firm for $90M

Boston Scientific is expected to wrap up a $90 million acquisition of Rhythmia Medical, an electrophysiology ablation company.

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