Postoperative risks for patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo noncardiac surgery remain poorly defined. In a retrospective study published July 19 in Circulation, researchers found that patients with HF or AF who undergo major or minor noncardiac surgery are at a significantly higher risk of death and rehospitalization than patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the accompanying editorial questioned the conclusions, due to the limited nature of the study data.

Sanofi-Aventis has pulled its Phase IIIb clinical trial comparing the efficacy of a 400 mg twice-daily dose of dronedarone (Multaq) to placebo in permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after the PALLAS trial found an increase in cardiovascular (CV) event rates in the dronedarone arm. As a result, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that it will expand its review of the drug.

Regulatory reforms are necessary to improve the evidentiary standard for device evaluation and approval, according to the authors of a commentary published online July 11 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Radiofrequency (RF) exposure standards may require more clarity, as well as further studies to identify possible thermal hazards to different types of tissues, according to a review article in a special issue of the International Journal of Hyperthermia.

Dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim), a drug approved for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, provides the first antithrombotic alternative to warfarin, but is it cost-effective? A study published June 7 in Circulation found that the 150 mg dose of dabigatran was cost-effective in high-risk AF populations, unless however international normalized ratio control with warfarin was excellent.

Reverse remodeling can significantly reduce the risk of subsequent life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA) in patients with left ventricular dysfunction, researchers found during a substudy of the MADIT-CRT trial. These data add to the ample evidence released at this years Heart Rhythm Society in San Francisco showing that certain risk factors can increase the risk of VTA post-cardiac synchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D).

An algorithm using only implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) diagnostics identifies leads with over-sensing or high impedance as fractures or connection problems with a high degree of accuracy, according to a study published in the June 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Healthy women with a new-onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) saw a heightened risk of mortality and cardiovascular (CV) events, Swedish researchers found in a study published in the May 25 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association. However, an accompanying editorial questioned whether these women were actually as "healthy" as the researchers suggested.