Monthly Archives: February 2011

StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation Patient to Speak at Western Atrial Fibrillation Symposium

Mellanie True Hills, founder and CEO of StopAfib.org and an atrial fibrillation survivor, is an invited speaker for the Fourth Annual Western Atrial Fibrillation Symposium taking place February 25-26, 2011 in Park City, UT. Symposium Director Dr. Nassir F. Marrouche says, " For the first time, the faculty includes someone representing the patients." Learn more: …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Congress Embarks on Efforts to Cut the Deficit — Guest Post by WomenHeart

Note: In meetings with the FDA last week, representatives from WomenHeart and StopAfib.org became aware of the risk that potential funding cuts may significantly delay the FDA's work in reviewing and approving afib drugs and devices. Because of the potential impact on the afib community, we are publishing comments from WomenHeart as to what those …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrosis, Not Afib Type, Linked to Atrial Fibrillation Strokes

Researchers at the Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research and Management Center (CARMA) in Utah have been studying the relationship between atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrosis, and catheter ablation outcomes for many years. Now, they’ve applied their knowledge of quantifying atrial fibrosis to stroke risk assessment and found that the amount of atrial fibrosis, not type of afib, is …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

CHADS2 Scores May Understate Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Risk

New research from Denmark shows that CHADS2 underestimates stroke risk. In the study, atrial fibrillation patients who were at intermediate risk with the CHADS2 scoring system had more than twice the stroke rate of those defined by the enhanced CHA2DS2-VASc tool as being at intermediate risk. While CHADS2 deemed 32.3% of patients to have intermediate …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Dr. Ken Ellenbogen Talks about Fish Oil for Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Prevention Drugs — Video

In this video, Dr. Kenneth Ellenbogen talks about important information presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010. First he talked about the ROCKET AF clinical trial of rivaroxaban, a new drug that is an alternative to warfarin (Coumadin), as well as another alternative, the recently-approved dabigatran. He provided scenarios as to how these drugs …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Surgeon Explains Why Hybrid Ablation “Makes Sense” for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

Hybrid ablation is an emerging treatment for patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. It is a dual approach, in which an electrophysiologist ablates from inside the heart and the cardiac surgeon ablates on the outside the heart. Dr. James Edgerton, a cardiac surgeon at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano in Texas, who spoke …

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

New Patient Profile — Michele Straube to Cross Heart of Alps for Atrial Fibrillation Awareness

Check out the latest patient profile at StopAfib.org. Thanks to a catheter ablation that stopped her atrial fibrillation, Michele Straube, an outdoors enthusiast, will be undertaking an adventure that she is calling "Crossing the Heart of the Alps for Atrial Fibrillation Awareness." While you're there, check out all our patient stories.

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StopAfib.org - For Patients. By Patients - Stop Atrial Fibrillation

Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation after Catheter Ablation Linked to Age, Gender, and Afib Type

Up to 30% of patients could have very late recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation, according to research highlighted at the recent Boston AF Symposium. Very late recurrence, which is when atrial fibrillation resumes more than one year after ablation, may be the result of age, gender, type of afib, and existence of other …

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