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.

FDA: Certain Medtronic pacemaker, CRT-P batteries can fail without warning

The FDA issued an alert May 7 warning patients with certain implanted Medtronic pacemakers or cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers (CRT-Ps) and their care teams to check for premature battery depletion in their devices after defects resulted in three reports and one patient death.

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CRT vs. RV pacing: Which is better for HFpEF patients?

Individuals with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrioventricular block might benefit more from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) than conventional right ventricular (RV) pacing, according to research published in JACC: Heart Failure.

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FDA clears world’s 1st active-fixation left heart lead

The FDA on May 1 announced it cleared Medtronic’s Attain Stability Quad MRI SureScan left heart lead for commercial use in the U.S.

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Program chair previews HRS.19 highlights

The Heart Rhythm Society's 2019 scientific sessions will be held May 8-11 in San Francisco, a venue that enabled the program committee to tap into Silicon Valley’s expertise with digital health, emerging technology and innovation. HRS.19 Program Director Christine Albert, MD, MPH, gave Cardiovascular Business a preview of meeting highlights.

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Real-world Watchman results hold up at 2 years

Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure with the Watchman device was associated with low rates of stroke and bleeding events in high-risk atrial fibrillation patients over a two-year follow-up period, according to a real-world analysis published April 3 in Circulation: Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia.

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White light exposure may hinder recovery for heart patients

An animal study published in Experimental Neurology suggests recovery from cardiac arrest is inhibited by exposure to white light—the same kind that normally illuminates hospital rooms.

Apixaban linked to best outcomes in older patients with AFib, heart failure

Compared to warfarin, all direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were associated with fewer cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes in a study of Medicare patients with both nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and heart failure. But apixaban appeared to offer the best balance of protecting against these events while minimizing bleeding risk.

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Hands-only CPR doubles survival, boosts bystander intervention rates

The proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in Sweden who received bystander CPR increased by 27.4 percent over an 18-year period, according to a new study, with much of that growth attributed to the increased utilization of chest compression-only CPR.

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.