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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Antibacterial envelope lowers risk of infection among CIED patients who develop hematomas

Additional findings from this analysis are scheduled to be presented at Heart Rhythm 2021.

Confirmed: Watchman FLX LAAC device safe for nonvalvular AFib patients

New two-year findings, presented at TVT 2021, suggest that the Watchman FLX device is a safe alternative to long-term oral anticoagulation therapy.

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Increased physical activity after ICD implantation lowers the risk of death, hospitalization

Participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs remains low, the authors wrote, but this study showed that it can make a significant impact on patient outcomes. 

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Lifestyle behaviors in young adults tied to AFib risk

Risk factors such as a high waist circumference, hypertension, cigarette smoking and poor sleep quality put young adults at a greater risk of developing AFib.

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Catheter ablation a cost-effective option for HF patients with AFib

Researchers shared their full analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Coffee consumption linked with lower risk of arrhythmia

Chronic coffee drinking is not associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias, according to new findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Athletes more likely to develop AFib

There was no significant difference when the athlete had diabetes or hypertension.

Imaging technique could help predict heart rhythm issues among COVID-19 patients

"This is a safe and affordable new data point that can clue us in about who might develop atrial fibrillation," one researcher said. 

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.