News
Simple checks to stop heart attacks
Mon, May 21st 2012
Express.co.uk
QUICK and easy checks could prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks and strokes by identifying people who suffer from a “silent killer”.
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Is EKG screening for all young athletes a good idea?
Mon, May 21st 2012
Bostonglobe.com
It seems like we hear all the time about another young athlete dying suddenly in the midst of a game or practice. These stories are so scary — because almost always, as far as anyone knew, the kid was healthy.
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Heart Rhythm Week at West Middlesex Hospital
Mon, May 21st 2012
Chiswickw4.com
Information about heart rhythm disorders is available in West Middlesex Hospital’s main atrium this week.
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New device allows pacemaker patients to safely undergo MRIs
Sun, May 20th 2012
Sun-sentinel.com
For many, it's a medical conundrum: The very pacemaker keeping their heart in rhythm prevents them from undergoing an MRI to diagnose other ailments, because interaction between the two devices could prove deadly.
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Irregular Heartbeat Poses Greater Stroke Risk for Women than Men
Tue, May 15th 2012
Sudanvisiondaily.com
Older women with the irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation face a 14 percent greater risk of stroke than men with the same condition, Canadian researchers report.The raised risk remained higher even when women were taking the blood-thinner warfarin to prevent stroke, the study authors noted.
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Study Reports Catheter Ablation Superior to Drug Therapy
Tue, May 15th 2012
Finchannel.com
Patients with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation who received first-line catheter ablation treatment had a longer arrhythmia-free interval than patients receiving antiarrhythmic drugs, the standard first-line treatment.
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Palpitations are predictive of future atrial fibrillation
Tue, May 15th 2012
Sciencecodex.com
A large cohort study has found that the strongest risk factors for atrial fibrillation in both men and women were a history of palpitations and hypertension.(1) While hypertension is a well known risk factor for AF, the investigators note that "the impact of self-reported palpitations on later occurrence of AF has not been documented earlier".
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Clot-Busting Drug OK for Stroke Patients on Warfarin
Mon, May 14th 2012
Doctorslounge.com
Treating acute ischemic stroke patients who are warfarin users with tissue plasminogen activator does not increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.
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Older women with AF face higher stroke risk than men
Sun, May 13th 2012
Nurse.com
In a study that examined use of the anticoagulant medication warfarin and risk of stroke in older patients following a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, women, especially those ages 75 and older, had a higher risk of stroke than men, regardless of their risk profile and use of warfarin.
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Understanding Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Risk
Sat, May 12th 2012
Kxoradio.com
There’s an alarming gap in knowledge about a common heart condition called atrial fibrillation, or AFib. By closing the gap and arming people with what they need to know, we could prevent disabling and even deadly strokes; perhaps thousands of strokes each year.
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Study supports catheter ablation as first-line treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Fri, May 11th 2012
News-medical.net
Patients with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (AFib) who received first-line catheter ablation treatment had a longer arrhythmia-free interval than patients receiving antiarrhythmic drugs, the standard first-line treatment.
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Non-Surgical Procedure Offers Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Who Cannot Take Blood Thinners An Alternative For Stroke Reduction
Fri, May 11th 2012
Enewspf.com
Patients with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) who cannot take blood thinners now have an alternative to reduce their risk of stroke, which is five times more common in people with the rhythm disorder.
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LAA closure may be good alternative for high-risk AF patients
Fri, May 11th 2012
Cardiovascularbusiness.com
Closing the left atrial appendage (LAA) in high-risk atrial fibrillation patients who have an intolerance to warfarin proved safe and effective in a single-center observational trial presented at a late-breaking clinical session May 11 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
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Statins Reduce the Risk of A-Fib in Elderly With HTN
Fri, May 11th 2012
Doctorslounge.com
Elderly patients with hypertension who receive statin therapy have a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation, with statins particularly effective for those with a CHADS2 score of 2 or more in the presence of other comorbidities.
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AFA experiencing technical difficulties
Thu, May 10th 2012
Dear Supporters,
You may be aware that we are experiencing technical difficulties with our telephone lines. The issues are being addressed and phone lines will be available soon. In the meantime, if you have any concerns, email info@afa.org.uk
Thank you for your patience at this time.
AFA
Black Africans Less Apt to Develop Heart Rhythm Disorder Than Whites
Thu, May 10th 2012
Health.usnews.com
Even though they have more risk factors, black Africans are about half as likely as white Europeans to develop a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, a new study says.
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Non-Surgical Procedure Offers Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Who Cannot Take Blood Thinners An Alternative For Stroke Reduction
Wed, May 9th 2012
Sacramento Bee
Patients with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) who cannot take blood thinners now have an alternative to reduce their risk of stroke, which is five times more common in people with the rhythm disorder.
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Founder and CEO of the AFA, Trudie Lobban speaks about AF
Tue, May 8th 2012
Founder and CEO of the AFA, Trudie Lobban, speaks about atrial fibrillation and how it affects sufferers of the condition.
Aspirin vs warfarin: which is better?
Tue, May 8th 2012
Halifax Evening Courier
These findings provide a good indication that warfarin and aspirin are both comparable as treatments, at least in people with heart failure, a normal heart rhythm and no apparent high risk of clots. The findings do not alter the current medical ...
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Inside Health
Tue, May 8th 2012
Bbc.co.uk
BBC Radio Four's Dr Mark Porter speaks to Professor Richard Schilling on new anticoagulants rivaroxaban and dabigatran.
Pulse checks could prevent thousands of strokes
Tue, May 8th 2012
Dromoreleader.co.uk
The Daily Mail reports that, if doctors checked the pulse of every patient they see, this measure could “prevent 12,000 strokes a year”. The figure comes from a report released by the Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA) and Anticoagulation Europe (ACE), which warn that there is a “silent epidemic” of atrial fibrillation and that this will worsen in the UK as the population ages.
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Cuts putting some drugs out of reach of patients
Tue, May 8th 2012
Irish Times
Both are alternatives to Warfarin, which is cheaper and has been on the market for many years. Dr Joe Galvin, cardiology consultant at the Mater hospital, says Dabigatran had been available until last autumn when it was withdrawn, except for patients ...
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A Medical Device Company Presents World's First ICD, CRT-D and CRT-P Devices With ProMRI(R ...
Tue, May 8th 2012
MarketWatch
These new products -- the Lumax 740 ICD and CRT-D series and the Evia HF-T -- will be showcased at Heart Rhythm 2012, the Heart Rhythm Society's 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions to be held May 9-11, 2012, in the United States in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Aspirin Reduces Blood Clotting
Mon, May 7th 2012
Frenchtribune.com
As per a research, which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it has been revealed that aspirin is as effective as warfarin when it comes to reducing blot clotting. Blood clotting is a common phenomenon that occurs in heart disease.
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Aspirin Seen to Be as Effective as Warfarin
Mon, May 7th 2012
New York Times
Researchers recruited 2305 patients with heart failure and normal heart rhythm. Half were given regimens of warfarin and dummy aspirin, the other half aspirin and dummy warfarin. The scientists followed them for up to six years, tracking incidents of ...
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Acupuncture Treats Atrial Fibrillation
Sun, May 6th 2012
Healthcmi.com
New research concludes that “acupuncture may be an effective non-invasive and safe antiarrhythmic tool” for the treatment of A-fib (atrial fibrillation, AF). A-fib is a common cardiac arrhythmia and is often associated with palpitations, chest pain and syncope.
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Aspirin Equal to Warfarin for Heart Failure Patients
Sun, May 6th 2012
Insidermedicine.ca
Aspirin is as effective as warfarin in preventing death in most heart failure patients, according to a report published in the NEJM.
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Why are heart flutters on the rise?
Sat, May 5th 2012
Dailymail.co.uk
The death of Claire Squires just before the finish at this year’s London Marathon rightly struck a chord.The 30-year-old from North Kilworth, Leicestershire, was said to have been suffering from arrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat – which can be caused by a number of different diseases. Millions of Britons suffer and, while serious, it is treatable.
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The future of AF ablation catheter technologies: A new report reveals the potential of next generation technologies to treat Atrial fibrillation
Sat, May 5th 2012
Cambridgewireless.co.uk
Design and technology consultancy announced that it has completed a research project to identify the future of medical technology to treat Atrial Fibrillation; a common and dangerous cardiac condition affecting millions of people across the world.
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Atrial Fibrillation - New Treatment Shows Promise
Fri, May 4th 2012
Medical News Today
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) that affects up to 7 million individuals in the US and Western Europe alone. AF is a major contributory factor to strokes and can cause congestive heart failure if ...
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