Tag Archives: atrial fibrillation

The statement, published online in the European Heart Journal (25th April 2013, doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/eht154), is written by a committee led by Dr Felix Mahfoud (Saarland University, Saar, Germany). They state that the data support the concept that radiofrequency ablation of the renal nerves reduces blood pressure and improves blood-pressure control in these difficult-to-treat patients, with results now extending to 36 months. The statement also reviews the appropriate screening measures necessary to select patients eligible for renal denervation. These are: office-based blood pressure >160 mmHg (>150 mmHg in patients with type 2 diab

Stroke risk assessment in AF New insights on stroke risk assessment were provided by Dr Ami Banerjee (University of Birmingham), in a session supported by the Atrial Fibrillation Association. Table 1. CHADS2 score The CHADS2 risk stratification scoring system (table 1) is currently the indicator for the Quality and Outcomes (QoF) framework used to determine whether an atrial fibrillation (AF) patient warrants anticoagulation. It may underestimate risk and those with a score of zero may actually be at substantial stroke risk. He also pointed out that the system has inherent disadvantages. It does not include many of the risk factors for stroke

First UK operation for HF with nerve-stimulating implant The UK’s first operation to tackle heart failure (HF) with a novel nerve-stimulating device was performed recently at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. The operation was part of the INOVATE-HF clinical trial, a global investigation to determine the safety and efficacy of the an implantable electrical stimulation device (CardioFit,® BioControl Medical), designed to improve heart function in patients with HF. The study will evaluate the system’s ability to reduce hospitalisation and death among patients with HF, while also exploring whether combined treatment with the system and pres

Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia found in clinical practice with increased prevalence in the ageing population.1 It affects 5% of those aged over 65 years and 10% of those aged over 80 years.2 Its prevalence is increasing primarily for two reasons; an increase in the ageing population and advances in medical care leading to survival from underlying conditions closely associated with AF, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cardiac failure.3 It has been described as epidemic in proportion since some researchers have predicted its prevalence will triple by 2050.4 AF can cause significant m

Estimates suggest there will be more than 46,000 cases of acute DVT in England and Wales during 2012, which will rise to nearly 50,000 cases by 2016, due in part to the ageing population. Professor Carole Longson, NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director, said: “For many people, using warfarin is difficult because of the need for regular monitoring with blood tests, dosing adjustments, and the need to be careful about their diet because of warfarin’s interaction with certain foods. Because rivaroxaban does not require frequent blood tests to monitor treatment it represents a potential benefit for many people who have had a DVT, p

EVINCI study completed The prevalence of “significant” coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain symptoms is lower than expected in Europe, according to preliminary findings from the The EValuation of INtegrated Cardiac Imaging (EVINCI) study. Once the final analysis is completed, the EVINCI study is expected to demonstrate that performing adequate non-invasive imaging screening of patients with suspected coronary artery disease could safely avoid invasive procedures in 75 out of 100 patients.  The study will have sufficient power to answer the question of which is the most cost-effective non-invasive imaging strategy for the j

Introduction Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can benefit from rhythm management to improve unpleasant symptoms or increase exercise capacity,1 making anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) an important option in the management of AF. The benefits of any AAD must be weighed against the risks of adverse effects, which in some cases are serious. Defined indications for the use of AADs have been developed by regulatory bodies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, in addition to guidelines from groups such as the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the European So

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Of the three new drugs, the paper appears to particularly highlight apixaban saying it “is currently the best-documented alternative to both warfarin and aspirin for stroke prevention in a broad population with AF”. It adds that “apixaban has been shown to be superior compared with warfarin concerning the reduction of stroke and mortality in combination with a reduction in major bleeding, with a bleeding risk similar to that of low-dose aspirin, and with better tolerability than both these alternatives, albeit with no reduction in ischaemic stroke compared with warfarin”. The paper says dabigatran 150 mg is also a well-documented alte

Navigating the changing landscape of cardiovascular commissioning A clear majority (58%) of GPs with a special interest in cardiology (GPSIs) feel unprepared to fulfill a commissioning role in the new NHS landscape, despite almost half of GPs being currently involved in commissioning, according to results from the REACCT (REAssessing Cardiology Commissioning and Treatment) report announced at the meeting. The report also reveals that a majority of cardiologists (57%) feel unprepared to take on new commissioning roles around the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The report (available from: www.pccs.org.uk/report) was written by the P