Atrial Fibrillation News and Research

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. A disorder in the heart’s electrical system causes AF and other types of arrhythmia. AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals in the heart’s two upper chambers, called the atria, cause them to contract very fast and irregularly (this is called fibrillation). As a result, blood pools in the atria and isn’t pumped completely into the heart’s two lower chambers, called the ventricles. When this happens, the heart’s upper and lower chambers don’t work together as they should. Often, people who have AF may not even feel symptoms. However, even when not noticed, AF can lead to an increased risk of stroke. In many patients, particularly when the rhythm is extremely rapid, AF can cause chest pain, heart attack, or heart failure. AF may occur rarely or every now and then, or it may become a persistent or permanent heart rhythm lasting for years.

Patients checking into a top rated hospital have a 27 percent lower chance of mortality

Patients checking into a hospital rated in the top five percent in the country have, on average, a 27 percent lower chance of mortality and a 14 percent lower risk of complications, according to a study released today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings company.

7 Feb 2006

$Warfarin increases risk of bone fracture$

Warfarin increases risk of bone fracture

Elderly patients taking the commonly prescribed blood thinner warfarin experience an increased risk for osteoporosis-linked bone fractures, according to a study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

23 Jan 2006

Post cardiac surgery heart irregularities reduced by medication

Use of the medication amiodarone is associated with one-half the incidence of atrial tachyarrhythmias (rapid, abnormal heart beat) following cardiac surgery, according to a study in the December 28 issue of JAMA.

28 Dec 2005

Carvedilol, a cardiovascular drug, may improve heart failure and help prevent sudden death

Research shows that Carvedilol, a cardiovascular drug, could be useful in reducing cardiac death in high risk patients with prior myocardial infarction and/or heart failure and also in reducing the incidence and/or preventing the occurrence of atrial fibrillation in a number of clinical situations.

2 Dec 2005

Carvedilol may improve heart failure and help prevent sudden death

16 Nov 2005

Significant step forward in the genome era

In what promises to be a significant step forward in the genome era, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) today announced plans to devote a portion of its large-scale sequencing capacity to efforts aimed at identifying the genetic roots of specific diseases that have long eluded gene hunters.

17 Oct 2005

Still a long way to go in diagnostic evaluation of all patients who suffer ischemic strokes

Women who survive a stroke are less likely than men to get crucial tests of their heart and neck arteries that can help improve their treatment and reduce their risk of a second stroke, a new University of Michigan study finds.

27 Sep 2005

Innovative new treatment for moderate to severe heart failure

Cardiologists at Beth Israel Medical Center are currently enrolling patients in an investigational study that is looking at the safety and efficacy of an innovative new treatment for moderate to severe heart failure, in which a unique pacemaker-like device helps strengthen the heart's pumping power

26 Sep 2005

Heavy alcohol consumption can significantly increase men's risk of developing atrial fibrillation

A large-scale study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has found that heavy alcohol consumption - 35 or more drinks per week -- can significantly increase men's risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a dangerous type of arrhythmia and one of the leading risk factors for stroke.

20 Sep 2005

Women with atrial fibrillation face a higher risk of ischemic stroke than men

Women with atrial fibrillation who are not on anticoagulant therapy have a higher rate of ischemic stroke and face a higher absolute risk for stroke than do men with the condition, according to a joint study

19 Sep 2005

Part of largest randomised international trial program ever conducted in atrial fibrillation (AF) discontinued

Study treatments for the ACTIVE W trial of the ACTIVE (Atrial Fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for Prevention of Vascular Events) program have been discontinued due to a significant difference in efficacy, in favour of the standard oral anticoagulation (OAC) over antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel plus aspirin).

6 Sep 2005

Catheter interventions help to prevent stroke

According to WHO statistics, stroke is the second most frequent cause of death worldwide. Cardiac causes account for up to 20% of strokes. Transcatheter occlusion of patent foramen ovale and left atrial appendage eliminate the most important sources for cardiac embolism.

6 Sep 2005

Results of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)

During the last decade, cardiac resynchronization, as adjunctive therapy for patients with severe chronic heart failure has been the subject of many clinical trials.

5 Sep 2005

Telemonitoring of multiple vital parameters of patients with chronic heart disease is feasible

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a frequent syndrome with an increasing prevalence. It is a frequent cause of impeding symptoms, has a negative prognosis and absorbs about two percent of the budgets of health-care systems in the industrialized nations.

5 Sep 2005

Heart failure patients are "a country" in Europe, there are so many

The number of hospitalizations for heart failure is about the same as for acute myocardial infarction. Our knowledge over acute heart failure patients treated at hospitals for heart failure is based on surveys. In Europe the information is still scarce but emerging especially through the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Euroheart survey program.

5 Sep 2005

Current clinical practice guidelines are not written with older adults with multiple illnesses in mind

The aging of the population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases pose challenges to the development and application of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), according to background information in the article. In 1999, 48 percent of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older had at least 3 chronic medical conditions and 21 percent had 5 or more.

10 Aug 2005

Beta-blockers top choice for prevention and rate control for postoperative atrial fibrillation

The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has released the first evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and management of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery.

9 Aug 2005

Black people are more likely to survive a stroke than white people

The risk of stroke and death from stroke are generally higher in black people than whites in the United Kingdom and the United States. In south London, where this study took place, the average age of people with stroke is 10 years lower than in the whole population.

28 Jul 2005

Innovation that helps locate and treat life-threatening heart arrhythmias

The Research Foundation of SUNY, which supports the advancement of education, research and discovery at the State University of New York, today announced it signed a licensing agreement with Biosense Webster Inc. for the rights to an Upstate Medical University innovation that helps locate and treat life-threatening heart arrhythmias.

26 Jul 2005

New research on atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) in which the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, beat quickly and inconsistently.

17 Jul 2005

Atrial Fibrillation News and Research

Further Reading

Patients checking into a top rated hospital have a 27 percent lower chance of mortality

Warfarin increases risk of bone fracture

Post cardiac surgery heart irregularities reduced by medication

Carvedilol, a cardiovascular drug, may improve heart failure and help prevent sudden death

Carvedilol may improve heart failure and help prevent sudden death

Significant step forward in the genome era

Still a long way to go in diagnostic evaluation of all patients who suffer ischemic strokes

Innovative new treatment for moderate to severe heart failure

Heavy alcohol consumption can significantly increase men's risk of developing atrial fibrillation

Women with atrial fibrillation face a higher risk of ischemic stroke than men

Part of largest randomised international trial program ever conducted in atrial fibrillation (AF) discontinued

Catheter interventions help to prevent stroke

Results of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)

Telemonitoring of multiple vital parameters of patients with chronic heart disease is feasible

Heart failure patients are "a country" in Europe, there are so many

Current clinical practice guidelines are not written with older adults with multiple illnesses in mind

Beta-blockers top choice for prevention and rate control for postoperative atrial fibrillation

Black people are more likely to survive a stroke than white people

Innovation that helps locate and treat life-threatening heart arrhythmias

New research on atrial fibrillation

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