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.

HRS: Biosence Webster showcases new ablation technology

DenverMedical device company Biosense Webster featured its Carto3 3D mapping platform, an upgrade to its CartoXP EP navigation system for viewing and monitoring the hearts electrical activity, at the 31st annual Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) scientific sessions May 12-15.

HRS: Use of cryoablation has the potential to STOP-AF

DENVERUse of cryoablation to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) rather than anti-arrhythmic drug therapy adds quality of life, reduces AF events and has high success rate, according to a late-breaking clinical trial presented at the 31st annual Heart Rhythm Society scientific sessions this morning.

HRS: Statement guides end-of-life ICD withdrawal requests

DENVERThe Heart Rhythm Society issued a collaborative expert consensus statement on the management of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices in patients nearing the end of life or requesting a withdrawal of their therapy during its 31st annual conference.

HRS: Omega-3 to prevent post-CABG a-fib provides FISH-y results

DENVERAdministering omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prior to CABG surgery had no clinical benefit for the prevention of post-CABG surgery atrial fibrillation (AF), even though prior studies have found that increasing dose or administering the oil in an injection could be beneficial, according to a late-breaking clinical trial presented this morning at the 31st annual Heart Rhythm Society scientific sessions.

HRS Video: HRS pres discusses quality, healthcare reform

Heart Rhythm Society President Richard L. Page, MD, who is also chair of the department of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, speaks to Cardiovascular Business News about adding a third track focus on quality and leadership to this years program of the societys 31st annual scientific sessions, as well as the impact of healthcare reform on the cardiac rhythm management community.

HRS: Watchman is cost effective in preventing stroke in AF

DENVERCompared to warfarin, the percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion device strategy, such as with Watchman (Atritech), results in comparable quality-adjusted life expectancy and is cost effective across a "broad range of model assumptions," researchers from Stanford University reported at the 31st annual Heart 31st annual Heart Rhythm Society scientific sessions.

HRS: Elderly AF patients with pacemakers better managed remotely

DENVERThere was high atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in elderly pacemaker patients and remote monitoring is useful to detect and treat AF earlier regarding antithrombotic and anti-arrhythmic therapy, according to a poster study presented Thursday at the 31st annual Heart Rhythm Societys scientific sessions.

HRS: EP-only practices provide better cost saving and control

DENVERIn 1996, Rodney P. Horton, MD, formed an electrophysiology (EP)-only practiceTexas Cardiac Arrhythmia Research, based in Austin, Texas. Since then, Horton and his colleagues have gone back and forth from being an EP-only practice to collaborating with cardiology practices in the state.

Around the web

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

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

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