CardioExchange Archive

October 30th, 2012

Ablation for Treatment-Naive A-Fib Patients?

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

Younger, healthier treatment-naive patients with a-fib can be offered initial ablation therapy, although drug therapy remains the default, according to the authors of this recent study in the NEJM.

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October 24th, 2012

Atrial Fibrillation: Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation and Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy Compared

Larry Husten, PHD

A trial comparing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) to antiarrhythmic drug therapy (AAD) as initial therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) found no difference in the overall burden of AF between the groups. But the trial also turned up evidence supporting the use of RFA as an initial treatment strategy in some patients. In a paper published in […]

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September 28th, 2012

Subcutaneous ICD Gains FDA Approval

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA today approved the Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator (S-ICD) System from Cameron Health. The device is the first ICD that does not require a lead that connects directly to the heart and therefore does not need to be guided by X-ray fluoroscopy. Instead, the S-ICD lead is implanted along the bottom of the rib cage […]

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September 27th, 2012

FDA Sets New Decision Date for Eliquis (Apixaban)

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA  will decide the fate of apixaban (Eliquis) by March 17, 2013. The new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date was announced yesterday by the drug’s manufacturers, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The new drug application (NDA) for apixaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation has been delayed twice. Although the pivotal ARISTOTLE trial was highly praised when […]

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September 26th, 2012

Treading Water During the Post-MI Waiting Period

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM and James Fang, MD

Does your institution use the LifeVest strategy routinely during the waiting period after an MI?

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September 26th, 2012

Merck Returns to Cardiome All Rights to Atrial Fibrillation Drug Vernakalant

Larry Husten, PHD

Merck and Cardiome announced today that Merck is returning to Cardiome all marketing and development rights for the atrial fibrillation (AF) drug vernakalant. An intravenous formulation of vernakalant is marketed in Europe as Brinavess. It has not been approved in the United States, though it received a positive recommendation from the FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal […]

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September 25th, 2012

AHA Urges More Education and Support for ICD Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

Despite, and perhaps sometimes because of, their life-saving benefits, ICDs are associated with a host of complex psychosocial problems, but clinicians and caregivers receive little training to deal with these problems. In response to these concerns, the American Heart Association (AHA) has published a scientific statement in Circulation to provide a “comprehensive review of what is and is not […]

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September 21st, 2012

Apixaban (Eliquis) For Atrial Fibrillation Gets Positive European Recommendation

Larry Husten, PHD

The European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended approval for apixaban (Eliquis, Pfizer and BristolMyers Squibb) for atrial fibrillation. The drug is already approved in Europe for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events following hip or knee replacement surgery. The drug has not yet been approved in the United States. Here is the CHMP-proposed indication for the […]

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September 11th, 2012

Updated Rhythm Device Guidelines Clarify and Expand CRT Criteria

Larry Husten, PHD

A newly released update of 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac arrhythmias contains some much-needed clarification about indications for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The document was developed jointly by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Rhythm Society. Highlights of the documents include: The Class 1 recommendation for CRT for patients with […]

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September 7th, 2012

News Briefs: Cholesterol Trends, AHA Late-Breakers, FDA Updates On Rivaroxaban And Heartware HVAD

Larry Husten, PHD

Cholesterol Trends The Centers for Disease Control issued a new report with the latest details about the prevalence of cholesterol screening and high blood cholesterol in U.S. adults. Here is their summary of the key findings: …cholesterol screening increased from 72.7% in 2005 to 76.0% in 2009, whereas the percentage of those screened who reported being told […]

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