Common blood pressure drug may increase risk of bleeding
People with an irregular heart rhythm taking a common blood pressure drug may be at greater risk of serious bleeding, according to a study recently published in JAMA.
Jun 21, 2024
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People with an irregular heart rhythm taking a common blood pressure drug may be at greater risk of serious bleeding, according to a study recently published in JAMA.
Jun 21, 2024
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Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disorder, have a higher than expected risk of developing some forms of dementia, a new study has found.
Jun 5, 2024
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Rare predicted loss-of-function (pLOF) variants and a polygenic risk score (PRS) are associated with increased atrial fibrillation (AF) risk, according to a study published online June 26 in JAMA Cardiology.
Jun 27, 2024
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Rates of coronary heart disease in the UK have declined by about 30% over the past two decades, but this has been offset by rising rates of other conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, finds a study in The BMJ today.
Jun 26, 2024
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When operating on the heart, surgeons may find another issue in the patient. Depending on what they see, the surgical team may address on the secondary condition during the same operation.
Jun 26, 2024
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An announcement from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine of a consensus definition of "long COVID" mentioned that it was not the final word on the condition but that the definition would be revised ...
Jun 24, 2024
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Semaglutide, a medication initially developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, significantly improves symptoms in men and women with a common type of heart failure that has had few therapeutic options.
Jun 24, 2024
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Mortality related to rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is high and is correlated with the severity of valve disease, according to a study published online June 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Jun 7, 2024
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An analysis of data from more than 16,700 patients reveals that ethnic minority patients with heart failure are at much higher risk of death than white patients.
Jun 4, 2024
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A team of Ochsner Health cardiologists recently published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Cardiology comparing two treatment strategies for patients with atrial fibrillation and obesity. ...
Jun 4, 2024
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Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Its name comes from the fibrillating (i.e. quivering) of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. It can often be identified by taking a pulse and observing that the heartbeats don't occur at regular intervals. However, a conclusive indication of AF is the absence of P waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG), which are normally present when there is a coordinated atrial contraction at the beginning of each heart beat. Risk increases with age, with 8% of people over 80 having AF.
In AF, the normal electrical impulses that are generated by the sinoatrial node are overwhelmed by disorganized electrical impulses that originate in the atria and pulmonary veins, leading to conduction of irregular impulses to the ventricles that generate the heartbeat. The result is an irregular heartbeat which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. The natural tendency of AF is to become a chronic condition. Chronic AF leads to a small increase in the risk of death.
Atrial fibrillation is often asymptomatic, and is not in itself generally life-threatening, but may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. People with AF usually have a significantly increased risk of stroke (up to 7 times that of the general population). Stroke risk increases during AF because blood may pool and form clots in the poorly contracting atria and especially in the left atrial appendage (LAA). The level of increased risk of stroke depends on the number of additional risk factors. If a person with AF has none, the risk of stroke is similar to that of the general population. However, many people with AF do have additional risk factors and AF is a leading cause of stroke.
Atrial fibrillation may be treated with medications which either slow the heart rate or revert the heart rhythm back to normal. Synchronized electrical cardioversion may also be used to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm. Surgical and catheter-based therapies may also be used to prevent recurrence of AF in certain individuals. People with AF are often given anticoagulants such as warfarin to protect them from stroke.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA