November 15, 2008 8:41 AM CT You’re invited to attend an Atrial Fibrillation Patient Seminar in Orlando, Florida. This seminar features Mellanie True Hills, CEO of StopAfib.org and the American Foundation for Women’s Health and best-selling author of A Woman’s Guide to Saving Her Own Life. Date: Saturday, November 15, 2008 Time: 1:00-3:00pm EST Where: Orlando …
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October 30, 2008 7:52 AM CT In the past week I've been approached by several folks in their eighties who are interested in catheter ablation or surgery for their atrial fibrillation. But eighty is often considered the upper limit for these procedures due to concerns about the health of the patient. As our aging population …
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October 29, 2008 6:20 AM CT October 29th has been declared as World Stroke Day and will be celebrated annually. This year the theme is "Little strokes, big trouble" because "silent" strokes occur five times as often as obvious strokes and affect thinking, mood, and personality. Recent studies have shown that silent strokes are the most common …
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October 27, 2008 7:52 AM CT From time to time, we see reports about atrial fibrillation related to bisphosphonates, the medications used for preventing osteoporosis. The bisphosphonates include such brands as Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, and Reclast. HealthDay reports on a new study that reviewed available research and found that these medications may lead to serious …
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October 24, 2008 7:55 AM CT Recently there have been a number of new beta-blocker and heart rate studies, some of which are contradictory. Here's a discussion of three recent studies that may apply to those with afib. 1) Heart rates over 70 beats per minute predict heart attack risk The BEAUTIFUL study, presented recently at …
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October 22, 2008 7:52 AM CT Mellanie True Hills, founder of StopAfib.org, talks about living with atrial fibrillation and about her mini-maze surgery in USA Weekend's HealthSmart edition. Read Page 14 of USA Weekend HealthSmart: E-mail your doctor: Communicating online lets a patient get answers from her doctor before and after surgery for atrial fibrillation Please share …
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October 14, 2008 7:56 AM CT A study in the October 15 issue of JAMA indicates that reducing how often a patient receives amiodarone for atrial fibrillation does not decrease side effects, but does increase atrial fibrillation recurrence and the risk of death and hospitalizations. Researchers at the University of Groningen, in The Netherlands, conducted a …
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October 13, 2008 7:56 AM CT October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, and StopAfib.org is helping to raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. According to the Heart Rhythm Society, a founding member of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Coalition, "Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops working and no blood can be pumped …
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October 13, 2008 7:42 AM CT Mellanie True Hills and StopAfib.org were included in the latest issue of More magazine in Retirement for the Restless by Lisa Belkin of the NYTimes. The premise of the story is that "If you love to work, the thought of stopping entirely can be terrifying. So don't. See how these …
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October 12, 2008 8:56 AM CT We've long suspected that gender bias played a part in women not being diagnosed as quickly for heart disease as men, and a new study just presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics symposium appears to confirm that. In the study, internists and family physicians were given a vignette to …
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