Latest Management of atrial fibrillation Stories

Evidence lacking that digoxin increases mortality A study published today in the European Heart Journal found no evidence that digoxin increases mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the opposite of results just published by another group in the same journal analyzing the same data. Older patients with AF also often have heart failure, and digoxin is approved to treat both conditions. AF is the most common kind of cardiac arrhythmia, an electrical malfunction that throws...

Barnes-Jewish Hospital patients at high-risk for stroke now have a new procedure to reduce stroke risk and the need for blood-thinning medications. ST. LOUIS (PRWEB) March 27, 2013 It’s the most common heart arrhythmia, and it can be deadly. While the symptoms for atrial fibrillation (AFIB) vary, many with this abnormal heart rhythm have one thing in common – a greater chance of having a stroke. Traditional ways to reduce risks of stroke center on patients taking blood thinner...

Accurate identification of high-risk patients enables selective use of strategies to improve patient outcomes A clinical decision support tool helped physicians identify patients at high risk of bleeding complications prior to undergoing a coronary intervention procedure and helped guide the use of bleeding avoidance strategies, leading to less complications and a shorter hospital stay, according to a study being presented March 10 at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions....

NATICK, Mass., March 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) reports preliminary data in the PREVAIL clinical trial met two out of three co-primary endpoints. The PREVAIL trial evaluates safety and efficacy of the WATCHMAN® Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure device in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation versus long-term warfarin therapy. The device is designed to close off the LAA, a major source of clots in patients with atrial fibrillation,...

KANSAS CITY, Kan., Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Yoga training has always been thought of as a healthy activity, but now a study has the scientific findings to prove it. In a first-of-its-kind study, doctors at The University of Kansas Hospital evaluated the role of yoga in the management of atrial fibrillation - a common heart rhythm disorder that is a leading cause of stroke. The study, published in this week's Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that rigorous...

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Dec. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced results from two new post-hoc sub-analyses comparing the clinical management and outcomes of patients who experienced major bleeding while treated with dabigatran or warfarin. These findings from the RE-LY® trial and four other Phase III trials report outcomes after a major bleed on dabigatran, despite the lack of a specific reversal agent, may be better than after a...

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Researchers from the University of Kentucky recently discovered that digoxin, a drug commonly utilized in heart disease treatments, could heighten the risk of death for patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart rhythm problem. The findings were recently featured in the European Heart Journal to address the issue of AF patients who have used the medication. “These findings raise important concerns about the...

Digoxin, a drug that has been used worldwide for centuries to treat heart disease, is associated with a significant increase in deaths in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to results from a study published online today (Wednesday) in the European Heart Journal. Digoxin is extracted from the foxglove plant (digitalis) and it helps the heart beat more strongly and with a more regular rhythm. It is commonly used in AF patients, and also in patients with heart failure. However,...

Although current guidelines recommend 3 months of anticoagulation treatment after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement surgery, a study that included more than 4,000 patients found that patients who had warfarin therapy continued between 3 and 6 months after surgery had a lower rate of cardiovascular death, according to a study in the November 28 issue of JAMA. "Biological prostheses are preferred to mechanical valves for aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery in elderly patients older...

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Twelve-month data from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD (GARFIELD) show that poor management of stroke prevention therapy is widespread in everyday clinical practice, which may lead to elevated rates of mortality, stroke and bleeding among individuals with newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Data from the GARFIELD Registry describes AF management and outcomes in everyday clinical practice, highlighting unmet...