At Heart Rhythm Society 2010, we saw intriguing new research into personalized afib treatment and stroke prevention that was presented by Dr. Nassir Marrouche and Dr. Marcos Daccarett of the Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research and Management (CARMA) Center at the University of Utah Health System. They have developed a way, using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), to …
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In preparation for the upcoming free community Atrial Fibrillation Seminar in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 19, renowned electrophysiologist Dr. Nassir Marrouche, the executive director of the University of Utah’s Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research & Management (CARMA) center, and Mellanie True Hills, founder of StopAfib.org, talked with NPR about heart disease and atrial fibrillation. Find …
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In this video interview at Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium, Dr. Peter Kowey, President of the Main Line Health Heart Center, talked about a number of exciting new things in the atrial fibrillation world. His topics included the Cabana clinical trials, the Safari catheter ablation registry, dronedarone as a replacement for amiodarone, atrial selective drugs, and …
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One of the most common questions we get centers around the use of anticoagulant drugs—either the brand drug, Coumadin, or the generic version, warfarin—and whether or not an atrial fibrillation patient should be on them. Anticoagulants decrease stroke risk, but can also increase bleeding risk. How do you sort it all out? It's just as …
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New studies from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) show that African Americans are less likely to know they have atrial fibrillation or to be treated with anticoagulants to prevent afib-related strokes, and that stroke deaths are higher among blacks throughout the U.S. and southerners in eight "stroke belt" states. …
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The Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research and Management Center (CARMA) at the University of Utah Heart Center in Salt Lake City, UT will present a free seminar on atrial fibrillation treatments on May 19th at which Dr. Nassir Marrouche and Mellanie True Hills, CEO of StopAfib.org, will speak. Learn more: Salt Lake City, UT Atrial Fibrillation Seminar …
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The "AFib Educator" iPhone App and desktop and laptop widget was launched this morning by the AF Stat coalition. The purpose behind the tool is to help doctors communicate with atrial fibrillation patients, but patients can download it, too. Find out more and download it at: AFib Educator Smartphone App and Desktop Widget Offers Patient …
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New research from Dr. Andrea Natale and colleagues on gender disparities in atrial fibrillation points out that women with afib are less likely to have catheter ablation treatment than men. When they do have atrial fibrillation catheter ablations, they tend to be older and sicker, meaning that they are more likely to have persistent or …
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There was an update today on the long-awaited FDA status of Atritech's WATCHMAN® device. If approved, it would provide an alternative to taking Coumadin or warfarin to prevent strokes for those with atrial fibrillation. Here are some quotes from the press release. Minneapolis (March 18, 2010) — Atritech, Inc., an emerging medical device company, announced …
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Genetic tests that show high or low sensitivity to blood thinner (anticoagulant) drugs like warfarin (Coumadin) not only improve dosing accuracy but also reduce hospitalization by 31%, according to a new study just presented at the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions. Coumadin is often prescribed for people who have afib to prevent blood clots …
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