Tissue-Selective Afib Ablation; ED Drug for HF? Pacemaker Warning

— Recent developments of interest in cardiovascular medicine

MedicalToday

Intensive blood pressure reduction may reduce the risk of hematoma expansion without improving outcomes in , an exploratory trial analysis showed. (JAMA Neurology)

for people without symptomatic cardiovascular disease was associated with more intracranial hemorrhage, and more intracerebral hemorrhage in Asian and low-BMI patients. (JAMA Neurology)

for heart disease with its Verve Therapeutics start-up helmed by heavy hitter Sekar Kathiresan, MD.

In news from the Heart Rhythm Society meeting in San Francisco:

  • Rotor ablation flopped when added to conventional pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation in the . (Mass Device)
  • Novel isolated the pulmonary vein durably but "with a degree of tissue selectivity and a safety profile heretofore not described for cardiac ablation." (ACC.org)
  • A pilot study of (ICD) yielded no complications during the procedure, effective pacing in 95% of patients, and successful termination of induced ventricular fibrillation in 89.5%. (Mass Device)
  • The for primary prevention in low ejection fraction patients had a 95.8% rate of freedom from complications, a 99.6% rate of successful implantation at 30 days, and a 99.2% rate of successful defibrillator conversion. (Mass Device)
  • Amid low rates of referral to electrophysiologists and for cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) and ICDs in eligible patients, women and minorities got even fewer. (BioSpace)

Erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (Cialis) appeared to by boosting heart contraction strength -- in sheep. (Scientific Reports)

Certain got a safety alert from the FDA due to risk of complete premature battery depletion from a crack in the capacitor that has led to three reported events and one death.

A (former) Kentucky cardiologist was sentenced to for unnecessary diagnostic catheterization and stenting. (Cardiovascular Business).

A over 4 inches in diameter was reported in Belgium. (New England Journal of Medicine)

Researchers developed a in the year after an ischemic stroke. (JAMA Neurology)

Electronic medical record alerts of medication combinations that could are being instituted by the University of Arizona. (KVOA.com)

The FDA cleared the for detecting 15 different types of arrhythmia including ventricular arrhythmias and ectopic beats and atrial fibrillation. (FDA News)

Cloud-based app and analytic software also gained clearance as part of an automated heart murmur detection with a third-party digital stethoscope. (MobiHealthNews)

BioCardia announced its were cleared for use with various cardiovascular catheters, including interatrial septum access. (Globe Newswire)

The agency approved the for iliofemoral venous obstructive disease. (WBJournal.com)