Patients with atrial fibrillation who often are over-anticoagulated on warfarin and receive antiplatelet therapy may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association scientific session in Chicago on Nov. 16.

Continuing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) beyond one year reduced the risk of ischemic events in patients treated with drug-eluting stents, but at the cost of an increased bleeding risk, the DAPT study group reported Nov. 16 at the American Heart Association scientific session in Chicago.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates that health systems eliminate waste and across the country many have responded with innovative ways to cut billions of dollars in unnecessary costs.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., WellPoint and HealthCore, announced today that the companies are commencing a research project to identify and address unmet medical needs across populations of mutual interest.

Medtronic, Inc. today revealed the results of a new study which found that atrial fibrillation (AF) and bradycardia-two common heart rhythm disorders-occurred at higher than expected, and clinically significant, rates in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis.

Most operators realize that radiation exposure in the cath lab puts them, plus their staff, at risk of potential cancers in the future. What they may not know is that a number of strategies exist to reduce exposure, and many don’t cost a dime.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology collection continues to grow with the launch of JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, which will feature original research and review articles regarding cardiac rhythm disorders. David J. Wilber, MD, FACC, will serve as Editor-in-Chief of the new journal, which will begin publishing in March 2015 on a bimonthly basis.

Physicians try to balance the tradeoff between bleeding and stroke risks when prescribing anticoagulants to patients with atrial fibrillation. But from the patient’s perspective, it seems new trumps old and death by bleeding is the worst, according to one study.