Researchers have completed enrollment for the phase III ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 clinical trial that will study of edoxaban, an anticoagulant and an oral factor Xa inhibitor used in the prevention of stroke and embolic event occurrence in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

A protocol that uses continuous real-time radiation monitoring, low-dose imaging programs and requires physician awareness of radiation dose significantly reduced radiation exposure during electrophysiology (EP) procedures in children, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions earlier this month in Chicago.

Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., has a new capability to communicate. As is the case in many hospitals acrosss the U.S., the providers nurses were carrying around multiple pagers for tracking patients and monitoring various conditions, as well as mobile phones. These devices, designed to improve patient care, were weighing them down.

CHICAGORivaroxaban was non-inferior to warfarin for the prevention of stroke and non-CNS systemic embolism for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, but did not achieve superiority by the intention-to-treat analysis, according to the late-breaking ROCKET AF trial, which was presented today at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions.

High-risk ventricular tachycardia patients can be safely treated through minimally-invasive surgical epicardial access for catheter mapping and ablation, according to a study in the November issue of the Heart Rhythm Journal.

A majority of physicians are not comfortable conducting end-of-life discussions about deactivating pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), compared with other life-sustaining therapies such as mechanical ventilation, according to a survey published in the November edition of Heart Rhythm Journal.

A 110 mg or 150 mg dose of dabigatran showed similar outcomes to warfarin for stroke or systemic embolism in patients who experienced a previous incidence of stroke or transient ischemic attack, according to a sub-analysis of the RE-LY trial published online Nov. 7 in Lancet Neurology.

Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky., recently enrolled the first patient into the PREVAIL trial, a U.S. study comparing the Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device to long-term warfarin therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation at risk for stroke. Atritech, makers of the device, intend to use positive trial results to gain FDA approval.