We’re finally getting a glimpse into what to expect from edoxaban, the 4th new anticoagulant medication. At the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, it was reported that edoxaban was safer--in other words, had less bleeding--than warfarin for those with deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs) or pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the …
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Patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of suffering stroke and other complications related to the development of blood clots in their heart. Until 2010, the only oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) to prevent strokes in Afib was warfarin (Coumadin®). Now there are two new oral anticoagulants available in the United States--dabigatran (Pradaxa®) and rivaroxaban …
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Not all atrial fibrillation patients are candidates for an ablation, either catheter ablation or surgical ablation, such as the maze or mini maze procedures. Thus their stroke risk remains high. We recently wrote about the FDA’s approval of the AtriClip device, which is implanted during open heart surgery and reduces stroke risk by occluding (closing …
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AF patients are generally at a higher risk for stroke and thus may have to take anticoagulant medications, such as Coumadin or warfarin, to manage their afib-related stroke risk. With the FDA's recent approval of AtriCure's AtriClip device that is implanted during open heart surgery, afib patients and their doctors may now have another way …
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This September, StopAfib.org marks the third year of celebrating Atrial Fibrillation Month to raise awareness of atrial fibrillation (afib), an expensive and life-threatening irregular heartbeat that is a common cause of stroke. StopAfib.org founder, Mellanie True Hills, knows the toll that atrial fibrillation takes on those with it and their families. After surviving blood clots …
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There is a lot of news coming out of the American College of Cardiology annual meetings going on currently in Orlando. One such story, about the Watchman device trial, is particularly important to those with afib who are concerned about blood clots and stroke. Read more at: Watchman Device as Alternative to Warfarin or Coumadin
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A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology evaluated 137 patients who had undergone closure or removal of the left atrial appendage (LAA) during maze or mini maze surgery and found a high failure rate and that surgical LAA closure may not always protect against blood clots or strokes. Read more …
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One topic, AV node ablation, makes the rounds of the atrial fibrillation discussion groups on a regular basis, and has just come back around again. All at about the same time, several afib patients' doctors have insisted that they have an AV node ablation with a pacemaker implant. Thus they have come seeking others' experiences. …
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I'm mad and must post this before I explode. Today alone I've answered a dozen e-mails or comments from folks suffering with atrial fibrillation around the same theme—their clueless doctors! Now don't get me wrong, there are so many good doctors out there. And the doctors to those folks who e-mailed me are probably very …
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