StopAfib.org interviews Dr. Matthew Reynolds, of the Harvard Clinical Research Institute. In this video interview, Dr. Reynolds talked about his research looking at outcomes and quality of life following catheter ablation. His research analyzed quality of life data that was collected as part of a previously-reported catheter trial, in which catheter ablation was found to …
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In this video, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. James Edgerton of The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano (Plano, TX) consults with an afib patient and caregiver about various atrial fibrillation treatment options, including medications, cardioversions, catheter ablation, and surgical procedures. Dr. Edgerton is a board-certified cardothoracic surgeon at the Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor …
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Results from FAST, the first-ever randomized trial to compare the effectiveness of minimally invasive surgical ablation (also called the mini maze procedure) for atrial fibrillation and catheter ablation for afib, were presented at the recent American Heart Association meeting. The FAST study enrolled patients who had failed a previous catheter ablation procedure. The minimally invasive …
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In follow up to our announcement yesterday of the Top Ten Atrial Fibrillation Videos of 2011, StopAfib.org now unveils the Top Ten Atrial Fibrillation Articles of 2011. Major topics of interest to the atrial fibrillation patient community this year were afib stroke prevention and the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scoring tools that determine the need for …
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StopAfib.org has announced the Top Ten Atrial Fibrillation Videos of 2011. Afib stroke prevention again topped the list, with stories about warfarin (Coumadin), alternatives such as dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scoring tools for determining whether anticoagulants are needed. Other popular topics included sleep apnea, catheter ablation, and maze procedures (surgical …
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While catheter ablation has been proven more effective at stopping atrial fibrillation than antiarrhythmic drugs, pulmonary veins may reconnect and atrial fibrillation may return, causing the catheter ablation to fail. At the recent Heart Rhythm Society meeting, Dr. Vivek Reddy, Director of Cardiac Arrhythmia Services at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, presented clinical …
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In this video interview, Dr. Hugh Calkins, electrophysiologist at Johns Hopkins, talks about the effort underway to rewrite the HRS/EHRA/ECAS Expert Consensus Statement on Catheter and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation. The new global guidelines are expected in January of 2012. Watch the video at: Johns Hopkins Electrophysiologist, Dr. Hugh Calkins, On Updating the Atrial …
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In this video, Dr. Matthew Reynolds, of the Harvard Clinical Research Institute, discussed his quality of life findings from use of catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs for treatment of atrial fibrillation. He analyzed quality of life data that was collected as part of the THERMOCOOL catheter trial in which catheter ablation was found to be …
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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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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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