Critically ill COVID-19 patients are 10 times more likely to develop cardiac arrhythmias
(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to an intensive care unit were 10 times more likely than other hospitalized COVID-19 patients to suffer cardiac arrest or heart rhythm disorders, according to a new study. Researchers say the results suggest that cardiac arrests and arrhythmias suffered by some patients with COVID-19 are likely triggered by a severe, systemic form of the disease and are and not the sole consequence of the viral infection. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - June 22, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Many COVID-19 Prophylaxis Trials Lack ECG Screening Many COVID-19 Prophylaxis Trials Lack ECG Screening
Many COVID-19 trials have not looked at ECGs, either to exclude people at highest risk for a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia or to flag people who achieve a dangerous QTc interval on treatment.Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines)
Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines - May 12, 2020 Category: Cardiology Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news
Biosense Webster Unveils Late-Breaking Results from PRECEPT Study in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
IRVINE, CA – May 8, 2020 – Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies* today announced that Biosense Webster, Inc.’s THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH® SF Ablation Catheter, evaluated in the PRECEPT study for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), resulted in freedom from any documented, symptomatic atrial arrhythmias at 15 months post-procedure for eight out of ten study participants (80.4 percent).1 Use of the THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH SF CATHETER for persistent atrial fibrillation is investigational only. This PRECEPT study data support a Premarket Approval supplement application to the U.S. Food and Drug Adm...
Source: Johnson and Johnson - May 12, 2020 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Innovation Source Type: news
Hydroxychloroquine linked to increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias
(Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) In a brief report published today in JAMA Cardiology, a team of pharmacists and clinicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, found evidence suggesting that patients who received hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 were at increased risk of electrical changes to the heart and cardiac arrhythmias. The combination of hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin was linked to even greater changes compared to hydroxychloroquine alone. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - May 1, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
The digital diagnostic helper: Apple Watch detects severe coronary ischemia
(Dpt of Cardiology - University Medical Center Mainz) Apple watches have long been able to record electrocardiograms (ECGs) and send warnings in the event of an irregular heart rhythm such as atrial fibrillation. Now a team of cardiologists from the Cardiopraxis Mainz and the Department of Cardiology of the University Medical Center Mainz discovered that, with the help of an Apple Watch, cardiac arrhythmias as well as coronary ischemia can be identified. This is what they reportin the European Heart Journal. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - April 30, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
U.S. FDA Approves IMBRUVICA ® (ibrutinib) Plus Rituximab for the Treatment of Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
HORSHAM, Pa., April 21, 2020 – The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of IMBRUVICA® (ibrutinib) in combination with rituximab for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) who are new to therapy. The approval is based on positive results from the landmark Phase 3 E1912 study that was designed and conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Today’s milestone mar...
Source: Johnson and Johnson - April 22, 2020 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Innovation Source Type: news
AZCERT opens access to Medsafety Scan ® for safe prescribing during COVID-19 pandemic
((AZCERT) Arizona Center Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics) AZCERT is making MedSafety Scan ® , a web-based decision support system, available free to medical professionals around the world treating COVID-19 patients. MedSafety Scan can warn healthcare providers when their patients are prescribed drugs that place them at high risk of developing a potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes. MedSafety Scan also checks for potentially dangerous drug interactions and suggests options for how to monitor the patient and reduce their risk of harm. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - April 20, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Cardiac Arrhythmia Highlights From ACC 2020 Cardiac Arrhythmia Highlights From ACC 2020
Dr Rachel Lampert of Yale University reviews key studies on cardiac arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2020 Virtual Conference.Medscape (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - April 16, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: None ReCAP Source Type: news
Potential Effects of Coronaviruses on the Cardiovascular System
This review highlights that coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with a high inflammatory burden that can induce vascular inflammation, myocarditis, and cardiac arrhythmias, and that CV risk factors should be judiciously controlled per evidence-based guidelines. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - April 2, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Ultrasound solves an important clinical problem in diagnosing arrhythmia
(Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science) Columbia Engineering researchers have used an ultrasound technique they pioneered a decade ago -- electromechanical wave imaging (EWI) -- to accurately localize atrial and ventricular cardiac arrhythmias in adult patients in a double-blinded clinical study. They evaluated the accuracy of EWI for localization of various arrhythmias in all four chambers of the heart prior to catheter ablation: the results showed that EWI correctly predicted 96% of arrhythmia locations as compared with 71% for 12-lead ECGs. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - March 25, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Johnson & Johnson Launches Heartline ™, the First-of-its-Kind, Virtual Study Designed to Explore if a New iPhone App and Apple Watch Can Help Reduce the Risk of Stroke
New Brunswick, NJ, February 25, 2020 — Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, in collaboration with Apple, opened enrollment for the Heartline™ Study. The study is designed to explore if the Heartline™ Study app on iPhone and heart health features on Apple Watch can improve health outcomes, including reducing the risk of stroke, with earlier detection of atrial fibrillation (AFib). AFib, a common form of irregular heart rhythm, is a leading cause of stroke in the U.S. To enroll in the Heartline™ Study, individuals must be age 65 or older...
Source: Johnson and Johnson - February 25, 2020 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Innovation Source Type: news
Study reveals how low oxygen levels in the heart predispose people to cardiac arrhythmias
(University of California - Irvine) Low oxygen levels in the heart have long been known to produce life-threatening arrhythmias, even sudden death. Until now, it was not clear how. New findings, in a study led by Steve A. N. Goldstein, MD, PhD, vice chancellor for Health Affairs at the University of California, Irvine, and distinguished professor in the UCI School of Medicine Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology& Biophysics, reveal the underlying mechanism for this dangerous heart disorder. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - February 18, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Abbott Wins Approval for CATALYST Trial for At-Risk Stroke Patients
This study is an extremely important step in assessing the Amplatzer Amulet as an effective non-prescription drug alternative for patients with AFib who are at an increased risk for ischemic stroke."
In an email sent to MD+DI, Abbott wrote, “We already have an Amulet IDE trial underway that is intended to support our submission for approval in the U.S. for Amplatzer Amulet. The newly announced CATALYST trial will support our submission for an expanded indication for Amulet as a safe and effective alternative to NOAC drugs for patients with atrial fibrillation and at risk of stroke.â€
Abbo...
Source: MDDI - February 3, 2020 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Omar Ford Tags: Cardiovascular Regulatory and Compliance Source Type: news
Philips Chooses Healthcare Over Domestic Appliances Unit
Philips is set to shed its domestic appliances unit so it can more effectively focus on its healthcare-related businesses.
The company’s CEO Frans Van Houten said the separation could take between the next 12 to 18 months. Philips’ domestic appliances business, which includes kitchen appliances, coffee, garment care, and home care appliances, generated sales of $2.53 billion for 2019.
“This [Domestic Appliances] business has significantly contributed to Philips, but it is not a strategic fit for our future, as we choose to further sharpen the focus along the health cont...
Source: MDDI - January 29, 2020 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Omar Ford Tags: Business Source Type: news
Prolonged breath-holding could help radiotherapy treatment of cardiac arrhythmias
(University of Birmingham) A technique that enables patients suffering from heart conditions to hold their breath safely for over five minutes could have potential as part of a new treatment for cardiac arrhythmias, say researchers at the University of Birmingham. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 20, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
