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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Study shows COVID-19 can infect heart cells—and do serious damage in the process

COVID-19 has the potential to infect cardiac cells, causing changes in their ability to function after just 72 hours. 

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Cardiologists shed new light on COVID-19 and cardiac arrhythmias

A higher rate of cardiac arrhythmias has been observed in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but new research suggests there’s more behind that trend than the virus itself.

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Azithromycin associated with greater risk of cardiovascular death, but not sudden cardiac death

Outpatient prescriptions for azithromycin are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.

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Dexamethasone improves outcomes for critically ill COVID-19 patients

Why dexamethasone could be a legitimate game-changer in the fight against COVID-19—and an update on the FDA and hydroxychloroquine.

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Cardiologist makes history, performs first cardioneural ablation in US

A cardiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine has performed the first cardioneural ablation in U.S. history, using it to “rewire” the heart of a patient suffering from vasovagal syncope.

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What new research tells us about catheter ablation and atrial fibrillation

Treating atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with catheter ablation is associated with a decreased risk of mortality, heart failure admission and stroke, according to new findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

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For high-risk AF patients, NOACs outperform warfarin

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are a valuable treatment option for atrial fibrillation patients with a prior intracranial hemorrhage, according to new findings published in JAMA Network Open. 

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4 cardiac arrhythmias associated with COVID-19

The association between COVID-19 and cardiac arrhythmias is significant, especially when patients are hit hard by the disease and moved to the ICU. 

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Use of AI opportunistic screening in CT for cardiovascular disease

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New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

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