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.

AFib ablation makes financial sense, especially among heart failure patients

The additional costs associated with AFib ablation appear to be justified, researchers wrote.

AFib after surgery could be a warning sign of heart failure

Researchers studied data from more than three million patients, including approximately 76,000 who underwent heart surgery.

Two examples of new left atrial appendage occluders (LAAO), the Conformal omn left and the Laminar on the right. evi Nair, MD, FACC, FHRS, director of cardiac electrophysiology at St. Bernard's Healthcare, Jonesboro, Arkansas, explains some of the recent advances in transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion technology at the 2022 Transcatheter Valve Therapeutics (TVT) Structural Heart Summit. #TVT #TVT2020 #LAA #LAAO #EPeeps

VIDEO: Advances in left atrial appendage occlusion technology

Devi Nair, MD, director of cardiac electrophysiology at St. Bernard's Healthcare, Jonesboro, Arkansas, explains some of the recent advances in transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion technology at the 2022 Transcatheter Valve Therapeutics (TVT) Structural Heart Summit.

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What peridevice leaks after LAAO mean for patient health

The study's authors reviewed data from more than 50,000 patients, presenting their findings in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.

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Marijuana use linked to heart rhythm issues in older adults

Former users, however, do not seem to face the same risks as current users. 

NOACs comparable to warfarin when treating AFib patients with valvular heart disease

Researchers examined the clinical impact of treating valvular AFib with dabigatran instead of warfarin. 

3D cardiac modeling solution for VT ablation receives FDA clearance

The new software solution was designed with ventricular tachycardia ablation and other cardiac ablation procedures in mind.

Left bundle branch block after TAVR hurts outcomes, even when no permanent pacemaker is required

Researchers tracked data from more than 2,000 TAVR patients, focusing on cardiovascular mortality and hospitalizations for heart failure. 

Around the web

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