MONDAY, November 14, 2011 (Health.com) — Getting kicked in the chest by a horse—that’s how cardiologist Steven Cook, MD, describes what it feels like when an implanted defibrillator shocks the heart.
And fear of that shock is making it difficult for many patients with these devices to enjoy sex, according to new research Dr. Cook presented today at a meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA). Read More
By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) — Women newly diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation have a significantly higher risk of death than women without this condition, suggests new research.
Analyzing data on more than 34,000 middle-aged women, researchers found that women with recently diagnosed atrial fibrillation had an all-cause mortality rate of 10.8 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 3.1 per 1,000 person-years for women without atrial fibrillation.
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) — People with an implantable cardiac defibrillator and a breathing disorder that occurs during sleep are at greater risk for potentially deadly heart problems during the night, new research suggests.
An implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is a device that monitors heart rhythm and corrects an abnormal heartbeat with an electrical shock. The new study revealed a significant increase in cases of ventricular tachycardia (a dangerous rapid heartbeat) and ventricular fibrillation (a severely abnormal heart rhythm) among patients with ICDs who also were diagnosed with sleep-disordered breathing.
FRIDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) — A common gene variant among black people may be linked to the development of life-threatening heart arrhythmias (when the heart beats too fast, too slow or irregularly), according to a new study.
In pinpointing this gene, Duke University Medical Center researchers hope to one day help doctors determine which patients are likely to benefit most from an implantable cardio-defibrillator (ICD) — a device that automatically detects and corrects potentially deadly heart rhythms by delivering a jolt of electricity.
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) — A new type of implantable defibrillator was able to rectify ventricular fibrillation, a severely abnormal heart rhythm, in all patients who received it, and none experienced sudden death, according to new research.
The device, called the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD), is already approved in Europe and is undergoing review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said Dr. Lara Dabiri Abkenari, lead author of the study, which is to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society in San Francisco.
THURSDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) — Air travel could raise the risk for experiencing heartbeat irregularities among older individuals with a history of heart disease, a new study suggests.
The finding stems from an assessment of a small group of people — some of whom had a history of heart disease — who were observed in an environment that simulated flight conditions.
“People never think about the fact that getting on an airplane is basically like going from sea level to climbing a mountain of 8,000 feet,” said study author Eileen McNeely, an instructor in the department of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. “But that can be very stressful on the heart. Particularly for those who are older and have underlying cardiac disease.” Read More
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) — People treated for heart attack who experience abnormal heart rhythms during artery-opening procedures such as angioplasty may be at increased risk of death, a new study suggests.
The finding could challenge current cardiac care guidelines, experts say.
The study focused on patients who had heartbeat abnormalities called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation when they underwent what is formally called a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) — such as angioplasty with or without stent placement — for heart attack. Read More
MONDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) — Here’s a hopeful possibility for those who suffer from arrhythmia, also known as irregular heartbeat:
If you learn how to control your emotions, you might not need an implanted defibrillator.
That’s the hope of a research project headed by Dr. Rachel Lampert, associate professor of cardiology and electrophysiology at Yale University. It’s based on a phenomenon called T-wave alternans, and it’s getting attention in the cardiology community. Read More
SATURDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) — If that nagging pain in your chest just won’t go away, and suddenly you feel like you’re having trouble catching your breath, it’s time to call 9-1-1.
Those symptoms could indicate either a heart attack or impending cardiac arrest. And waiting to see if the symptoms subside could cost you your life. Read More
THURSDAY, Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — Only 40 percent of patients with atrial fibrillation, a known risk factor for stroke, who did suffer a stroke were taking the anti-clotting drug warfarin, a new study found.
Among those taking warfarin, 75 percent weren’t getting the dose needed to prevent a stroke. And an additional 25 percent were taking medications that were less effective at preventing clots or no medication at all, according to the report by Canadian researchers. Read More
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