July 13, 2021 — Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that speckle-tracking strain echocardiograms may predict which patients with ...
Atrial Fibrillation
This channel includes news and new technology innovations for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, also referred to as AF or afib. AF is a cardiac arrhythmia caused by irregular and often rapid heart rate. It is caused by the upper chambers (the atria) beating irregularly and uncoordinated with the lower ventricle chambers of of the heart. Symptoms include weakness with heart palpitations and shortness of breath. The conditional can lead to an increased risk of stroke and heart failure. AF episodes can cause the blood in the atria to stagnate and form clots, usually within the left atrial appendage (LAA). The clots can flow to the brain and cause a stroke. Treatments include anticoagulation therapy to dissolve clots, catheter or surgical ablation and LAA occlusion.
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June 23, 2021 — The U.S.
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The latest cardiology practice-changing scientific breakthrough, late-breaking study presentations have been announced for the 2021 ...
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May 15, 2021 - Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with a Boston Scientific...
News | Implantable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) | July 14, 2021
June 13, 2021 — Medtronic announced clinical trial results from the STROKE AF trial demonstrating the superiority of...
An example of a strain echo from the study showing reduced peak longitudinal/reservoir left atrial strain in a COVID-19 patient who developed atrial fibrillation during admission. Average left atrial strain here is 20% (normal should be above 38%). Read the study.
News | Cardiovascular Ultrasound | July 14, 2021
July 13, 2021 — Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that speckle-tracking strain echocardiograms may...
News | Atrial Fibrillation | June 23, 2021
June 23, 2021 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded approval for Medtronic's Arctic Front Family of...
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OTC ECG devices can help detect abnormal heart rhythms in the general population, and this technology will continue to improve.
Feature | ECG | March 11, 2020
Apple created a stir when it announced in 2018 that its Apple Watch Series 4 was the first consumer health and fitness...
GE is integrating artificial intelligence into most of its imaging and information technology software. AI can aid fast critical care decision making. Above left is the vScan Air wireless point-of-care ultrasound system. It integrates AI for immediate, automated assessment of a patient's ejection fraction, right.
Feature | Artificial Intelligence | June 10, 2021
The digital transformation of healthcare is underway, but it will advance further and faster if key stakeholders work...
RAFT-AF study showed the type of heart failure may influence treatment strategies for heart rate management vs. arrhythmia control in in patients with heart heart and atrial fibrillation. Getty Images
News | Heart Failure | May 19, 2021
May 19, 2021 — Among patients with both heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AFib), treatment strategies focused on...
The Boston Scientific Watchman device have performed better than expected in real-world patients outside of trials since it was introduced in 2015, according to data from the NCDR LAAO Registry.
Feature | Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Occluders | May 16, 2021
May 15, 2021 - Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with a Boston Scientific Watchman device was...
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Several wearable, less-obtrusive ECG monitors have been cleared by the FDA for longer wear. This example is Cardiac Insight’s Cardea SOLO device.
Feature | ECG | February 19, 2020
When the patients of Michael Boler, M.D. need cardiac monitoring, the Holter monitor is no longer his first choice. “...
In the LAAOS III trial, surgeons could seal off the LAA during the open heart procedure using sutures, staples or approved closure devices. The image shows a SentraHeart lasso type LAA occluder about to seal off the LAA from the outside of the heart.
News | Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Occluders | May 15, 2021
May 15, 2021 — Patients with an elevated risk of stroke due to heart rhythm problems, or atrial fibrillation (AFib),...
News | EP Lab | May 12, 2021
May 12, 2021 — Galaxy Medical and Japan Lifeline announced an exclusive distribution agreement for the Alpha1 ablation...
News | Atrial Fibrillation | April 19, 2021
April 19, 2021 — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has awarded a grant for $462,689 to Rhythm...
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Use of traditional Holter monitor leads can be an issue for patient compliance and comfort. The newer generation ambulatory cardiac monitors use a small, adhesive patch that sticks directly on the patient's chest and allows them to shower and go about daily activities without a belt mounted monitor or leads getting in the way. This is especially important for longer term monitoring of seven days or longer.
Feature | ECG | September 27, 2018
Advances in the technology of wearable cardiac monitors are improving both the experience of the patient and the...
Top left, electromechanical wave imaging (EWI) isochrone renderings showing the activation points of the myocardium based on echocardiography axial strain measurements. Bottom right, EWI images overlaid on patient's CT scan of the heart.
News | EP Lab | March 23, 2021
March 23, 2021 — Researchers at Columbia University are using cardiac ultrasound to improve the critical need to...
Feature | ACC | May 18, 2021 | Dave Fornell, Editor
The latest cardiology practice-changing scientific breakthrough, late-breaking study presentations have been announced...
News | Atrial Fibrillation | March 03, 2021
March 3, 2021 — Farapulse Inc. announced the first patients were treated in the ADVENT Trial, a U.S. Food and Drug...
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An example of the new generation of cardiac monitoring device that is replacing Holter monitoring is the Cardea Solo wearable sensor. The FDA-cleared device automatically analyzes data when the device is turned back into the physician's office and automatically produces a draft summary report. This technology can simplify the workflow by eliminating the need for third-party involvement.
Feature | Atrial Fibrillation | September 13, 2018
Rapid advances in technology to monitor atrial fibrillation (AF or Afib) are enabling clinicians to access real-time...
The two biggest cardiac device technology stories in February included the Boston Scientific recall of its S-ICD system, and the FDA clearance of the Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy system to break up calcified lesions in the coronary arteries.
Feature | March 01, 2021 | By Dave Fornell, Editor
March 1, 2021 — Here is the list of the most popular content on the Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology (DAIC)...
Medtronic's DiamondTemp Ablation (DTA) system is FDA cleared to treat patients with recurrent, symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and who have been unresponsive to drug therapy. The DiamondTemp system is the first FDA-approved, temperature-controlled, irrigated radiofrequency (RF) ablation system with diamonds currently available to deliver ablations.
News | Atrial Fibrillation | January 29, 2021
January 29, 2021 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Medtronic's DiamondTemp Ablation (DTA)...
Patients with atrial fibrillation are at far greater risk of a catastrophic COVID outcomes, so steps should be taken to reduce AFib risks in addition to precautions against COVID like making, hand washing and social distancing. Images include an electromap from an AF ablation procedure and a COVID-19 from the CDC.
Feature | Atrial Fibrillation | January 27, 2021 | By John D. Day, M.D., T. Jared Bunch, M.D., and Matthew D. LaPlante
In our most challenging and distressing days, it is nice to think about a post-COVID-19 world.
But while this pandemic...
