An FDA panel today unanimously recommended that the FDA approve dabigatran (Pradaxa) for reducing the risk of afib strokes. FDA approval is expected quickly, making this the first alternative to warfarin approved in the United States, and also the first atrial fibrillation approval for dabigatran. It is approved in over 70 countries for venous thromboembolisms …
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A new study exploring ethnic differences in stroke risk for people with atrial fibrillation (AF) showed that Mexican American stroke survivors with afib were more than twice as likely to have another stroke as comparable non-Hispanic white stroke survivors with afib. Researchers were surprised by the study’s finding that severity of recurrent stroke is also …
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Whether you're an atrial fibrillation patient or caregiver, or are just interested in learning more about afib, check out the new Get Started Learning About Atrial Fibrillation Guide at StopAfib.org. You'll find a wealth of information, including: what afib is and the problems it causes, including stroke and congestive heart failure information about an afib …
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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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Atrial fibrillation took center stage in a feature story in Tuesday's Washington Post. The article not only looked at treatment for atrial fibrillation, but also at what afib does to patients. The atrial fibrillation experiences of Mellanie True Hills, founder of StopAfib.org, were included in this story. Read more at: Washington Post Highlights Afib: Atrial …
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Doctors are trying to identify the characteristics that predict which patients aren’t likely to be successful with a catheter ablation for their atrial fibrillation. At a session at the recent Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting, some of the factors discussed included left atrial size, left atrial volume, left ventricle dysfunction (improper functioning of the left …
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An important session at Heart Rhythm Society 2010 was "Medical Issues After Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter." It dealt with what constitutes success following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (afib) and atrial flutter, and which is more important, the medical definition or the patient's definition. Which definition is used can have implications for treatment …
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In this video interview, Dr. Nassir Marrouche, Executive Director of the Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research and Management (CARMA) Center at the University of Utah Health System, discusses the findings he recently presented at the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting in Denver. He discussed the intriguing way they are using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), to personalize atrial …
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At Heart Rhythm 2010 in Denver recently, a session on demographic factors influencing atrial fibrillation management and outcomes featured the following research findings: African Americans Have Less Risk Than Caucasians of Atrial Fibrillation After Bypass Surgery Blacks Have Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation After Age 60 Than Whites Despite Higher Risk Factors Women with Atrial …
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