SAN DIEGO — Same-day discharge after ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an appropriate strategy for saving costs if performed with strict selection criteria and protocols, according to a recently issued joint statement from the American College of Cardiology and the Heart Rhythm Society. Same-day discharge has long been indicated for catheter ablations to abort … Read more
Hypertension Canada has released a guideline that aims to enhance the standard of hypertension management in primary care settings with evidence-based, pragmatic, and easy-to-implement recommendations. The guidance is based on the World Health Organization’s HEARTS framework to improve hypertension control and reduce cardiovascular burden. The previous guideline was published in 2020. “For the 2025 guideline, … Read more
Thanakarn Kanthee, a Thai content creator, passed away a few months ago after accepting an alleged drinking challenge to down 2 bottles of whiskey for a significant amount of money. Known popularly as “Bank Leicester” among his fans, the social media influencer was offered 10,000 Thai baht (₹25,076) per bottle to drink 350ml bottles of … Read more
During a recent webinar hosted by the Scientific Society of General Medicine, Christophe Scavée, MD, head of the Department of Cardiology and Rhythmology Unit at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium, discussed the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play in sports screening. He outlined the essential steps GPs should take when patients want to start … Read more
Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have discovered that microscopic structural changes in the aging heart may reduce the risk of irregular heartbeats. Medically known as arrhythmias, irregular heartbeats become more common with age and can lead to health problems. But a new study in JACC Clinical Electrophysiology, a journal of … Read more
TOPLINE: The overall survival after sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), including those resulting from exertional events, improved over a 9-year period among young competitive athletes in the United States. However, racial disparities were identified with reduced survival among Black athletes. METHODOLOGY: SCA is the primary medical cause of death in young competitive athletes. Researchers conducted an … Read more
Diagnosing and treating cardiac ailments can be difficult for primary care clinicians, with initial symptoms of serious heart disease, at times, mimicking less serious and transient issues. In addition, those in primary care are usually juggling to try and address several medical issues within fairly short visits. For instance, patients may only feel comfortable enough … Read more
A group of 29 international experts says that simultaneous screening for hypertension and heart arrhythmia could prevent thousands of strokes. A recent expert review highlights the strong link between hypertension (high blood pressure) and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart beats irregularly and rapidly, which can lead to the formation of … Read more
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common form of heart arrhythmia, a serious condition in which the heart beats so fast that its upper chambers, the atria, quiver. This irregular heartbeat can increase the risk of severe conditions, including heart failure, dementia and stroke. My lab has been studying the role of inflammation in the initiation … Read more
TOPLINE: Aggressive ablation provided more favorable outcomes at 12 months than regular ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients undergoing aggressive ablation also had enhanced AF and atrial tachycardia (AT)–free survival. METHODOLOGY: Previous studies suggest using aggressive ablation for persistent AF, but real-world evidence with the approach is lacking. Researchers conducted a retrospective … Read more