MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'arrhythmia'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:07:51 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050580&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frecognizing-different-arrhythmias-theres-an-app-for-that%2F2011.07.21 The recognition and management of cardiac arrhythmias is a must-have clinical skill for residents and physicians, and one that is often not well-taught at some institutions. For example, deciding whether a patient is in a shockable rhythm, realizing what medications should or should not be given in a particular situation, or assessing the degree of atrioventricular block, can all be important considerations in patient care. The Arrhythmias app, designed by Abe Balsamo, recently cracked the Top 10 list of most-downloaded medical apps in the app store.  This app represents Mr. Balsamo’s first foray into the app world, though he has several other apps in development, according to his website AppsByAbe.com.  The app’s growing popularity has been driven by its point-of-care abilities that... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050580 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:55 +0100 5050580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029211&cid=t_96094_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2TajULYXlqU%2F Last month, a widely publicized study raised concerns about the safety of the blockbuster Spiriva inhaler that is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that, when administered in the mist form known as Respimat, there was a 52 percent increase in mortality risk compared with a placebo (see here). Not surprisingly, Boehringer Ingelheim, which makes the inhaler, disagreed. And in disputing the findings, the drugmaker made a point of saying the results were not based on new clinical evidence and that the meta-analysis relied on already publicly available data. BI also maintained that “robust evidence” has also been published about the safety of the older, powder version known as HandiHaler (read the statement)... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029211 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:25:23 +0100 5029211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997525&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fomega-3-fatty-acids-the-science-behind-their-potential-heart-health-benefits%2F2011.07.03 The Biology of Omega-3 fatty acids: (Just a little science:) When fish, flax-seeds or Brussels sprouts pass through the intestine, pancreatic enzymes transform the fat to free fatty acids. These acids are quickly taken up by the cells. Once in the cell, these fatty acids enter the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and cytosol–places that you might recall because your mom helped you make a Cell sponge cake in 7th grade Biology. In the cells, the Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, DHA and EPA) exert their healthy influence in three major ways: in the control of chemical messengers; in the flux of ions—cell electricity; in the smoothness and health of the cell membrane. That’s enough about cells. How do these (good) fats help our bodies? Omega-3 fatty acids reduce Inflammation: –Omega-3s ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997525 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:00:49 +0100 4997525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734102&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-hug-that-may-have-saved-a-life%2F2011.04.20 Every once in a while we physicians make an astute (or perhaps lucky) observation that becomes a turning point in a patient’s life. I’ll never forget the time that I placed a hand on an elderly woman’s belly after she said that she felt a little bit dizzy – the pulsatile abdominal mass that I discovered set in motion a cascade of events that resulted in life-saving surgery for an disecting abdominal  aortic aneurysm (AAA). It was incredibly gratifying to be involved in saving her life – and now anyone who so much as swoons in my vicinity gets a tummy rub! (Yes, Dr. Groopman I know that’s not necessarily a rational response to one lucky “exam finding.”) Last week I made a fortunate “catch” on the order of the AAA discovery from ye... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734102 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:00:32 +0100 4734102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4552056&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdont-treat-the-number-treat-the-patient%2F2011.03.05 In medicine we’re often reminded not to base our therapy solely on lab test results. Although it’s tempting to reduce patient care to a checklist of “normal” bloodwork targets, we all know that this is only a fraction of the total health picture. Today I made a mistake that brought this truism home: “Don’t treat the number, treat the patient.” I’m turning 40 this year and decided to make an ambitious fitness goal for myself — to be in better shape at 40 than I was at 30. No small feat for a person who used to be in good form a decade ago (not so much now, ahem). So, I joined a gym owned by an affable triathlete and invited her to make me her project. Let’s just say that Meredith believes that one piece of sprouted grain bread is t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4552056 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:06:03 +0100 4552056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253138&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-heart-and-the-holidays%2F2010.12.12 The human heart resides in a lighltless 98.6-degree chest cavity. Its contracting muscles are further cushioned by the well-lubricated glistening smooth pericardial sac. One wouldn’t think that the heart could sense the time of year. The heart’s rhythm should remain independent of the holiday season. But then there is December in the EP lab. They are as busy as the malls. Is it the depressing weather? Or the short days? Or a post-Thanksgiving hangover? It’s hard to say, but every year for as many as I can remember, the EP lab rocks in November and December. And with the advent of deductible health plans, this holiday phenomenon has only intensified. The I-90 of the heart, the AV node, seems to give out more in the holidays. I’ll never forget the Saturday in Decembe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253138 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4253138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172165&cid=t_96094_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D91 EKGs have been a mainstay for assessing a fetus’ health since the early 1900s.  But, due to interference from the maternal EKG signal, physicians are not able to get a true waveform, which is critical in diagnosing arrhythmia or elevated ST segment in a fetus.  According to Dr. Nina Gotteiner, MD, pediatric cardiologist, associate professor of pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, “If we can identify a fetal arrhythmia, it is very treatable and we can affect the outcome.” Currently, fetal EKGs are acquired through a scalp electrode, which limits the technology’s ability to acquire the data in a non-labor setting.  However, evolving noninvasive fetal EKG technology is designed to accurately separate fetal and maternal EKG signals.  Depe... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172165 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:42:00 +0100 4172165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045095&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsex-and-your-defibrillator%2F2010.10.08 Have a defibrillator and feel like getting frisky? For the first time that I can recall, there’s a very helpful article published in Circulation addresses the concerns of implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) patients and sexual activity. There’s all kinds of helpful tidbits, like this one: A study of 1,774 patients who had experienced an acute myocardial infarction showed that sexual activity was a likely contributor in fewer than 1 percent of cases. In fact, regular physical exertion, such as that associated with sexual activity, was associated with a decreased risk of cardiac events in patients. Now that’s helpful! Recall that defibrillators are designed to detect rapid, potentially life-threatening arrhythmias. Most of the time, sexual activity does not lead to hea... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045095 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4045095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965429&cid=t_96094_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FDkEfOHdQF4I%2F This week's ECG Exigency serves up 5 different risky rhythm strips. Each tells a story. Can you work out what is happening before its too late? What would you do to save the day? (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965429 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:32 +0100 3965429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595589&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-problem-of-drug-extinction%2F2010.05.24 Doctors are all-familiar with marketing efforts to promote new drugs, but once the new drugs displace older drugs in the medical marketplace, who serves as advocates for the continued manufacturing of older FDA-approved drugs? In a short answer: No one. For those of us dealing in cardiac arrhythmia management, this presents difficult challenges for patient care if people are unable to take the newer drugs due to side effects. These patients no longer have a fall-back option to turn to for medical therapy when the older drugs have become extinct on the marketplace. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595589 Mon, 24 May 2010 12:30:00 +0100 3595589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526824&cid=t_96094_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2FY2IUIXhIKu0%2F           Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an irregular heartbeat that may be very fast.  Your heart has 4 compartments called chambers.  The top 2 chambers are called the atria.  The bottom 2 chambers are called the ventricles.  In atrial fibrillation, the atria stop beating regularly.  Instead, they tremble (fibrillate) in a disorganized way.  This can cause an irregular, and sometimes very fast, heartbeat.  Atrial fibrillation is most common in people older than 60 years of age.  However, you can get AF at any age.  Sometimes, atrial fibrillation has no cause, but your risk goes up if you have any of the following conditions: heart disease caused by high cholesterol, a larger heart size caused by high blood pressure, damage to a heart valve, an overactive thyroid gland, lun... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526824 Sun, 02 May 2010 20:31:39 +0100 3526824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3178798&cid=t_96094_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Flady-gagas-palpitation-differential.html Okay, medical blog-o-sphere, pressing news has arrived that Lady Gaga had to cancel her concert at Purdue University due to an acute onset of pre-performance palpitations:"Paramedics came to take care of me, and told me my heart-rate was irregular - a result of exhaustion and dehydration."Your job, should you like to accept it, is to consider the differential diagnosis of what might have been the cause.So go ahead... make me proud!I'll start: (1) Premature atrial contractions...-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. (Source: Dr. Wes) Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3178798 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:10:00 +0100 3178798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2989176&cid=t_96094_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fhow-to-find-arrhythmia-patients-room.html When it's 1:00 AM and you're not sure where the patient with incessant ventricular tachycardia is located in the ICU, just turn to the telemetry strips:Click image to enlarge-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. (Source: Dr. Wes) Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2989176 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:51:00 +0100 2989176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2477570&cid=t_96094_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7195 Amazing video of a young Belgian football player who collapses on the field but is saved by his implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD): Dr. Wes says: In this video, Van Loo is seen walking from the field and then collapsing at 7 seconds, his legs are seen twitching at 15 seconds as his automatic defibrillator fires to restore his heart rhythm to normal, and then by 21 seconds after the event he regains conciousness and sits up. According to some reports, Van Loo was not allowed to return to soccer unless he had an ICD implanted due to his known cardiac disorder. (via KevinMD.com) This just goes to show how ICDs can save the lives of those prone to life threatening cardiac arrhythmias. I dare say they are vastly underused in Malaysia. from the Malaysian Medical Resources Video: Football ... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2477570 Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2477570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2367386&cid=t_96094_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F15%2Fthoracoscopic-epicardial-radiofrequency-ablation-for-atrial-fibrillation%2F Title: Thoracoscopic epicardial radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation Source: NICE The Skinny: Guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on thoracoscopic epicardial radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.  Atrial fibrillation is a condition that affects the heart, causing an irregular pulse. It occurs when the electrical impulses controlling the heartbeat become disorganised, so that the heart beats irregularly and too fast. When this happens, the heart cannot efficiently pump blood around the body. This may cause symptoms such as palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of blood clots and stroke. In thoracoscopic epicardial radiofrequency ablation, selected are... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367386 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:21:31 +0100 2367386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2112363&cid=t_96094_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fy4WicXrSg5U%2F Atrial fibrillation is caused when your heart’s electrical system is not functioning properly. This problem is not as serious as ventricular fibrillation, this occurs when your heart stops beating. When ventricular fibrillation occurs the heart has to be shocked back to life, as you have seen on TV. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia, when there is a problem with the speed in which your heart beats; it is classified as a type of arrhythmia. AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals in the heart’s two upper chambers, called the atria (AY-tree-uh), cause them to contract very fast and irregularly (this is called fibrillation). As a result, blood pools in the atria and isn’t pumped completely into the heart’s two lower chambers, called the ve... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2112363 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:28:00 +0100 2112363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1114003&cid=t_96094_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F205333136%2F We have fairly exciting news to report surrounding the very lethal cardiac rhythm disturbance V-Fib (ventricular fibrillation). This very sudden and deadly “electric explosion” that occurs inside the hearts of both old and young alike has long eluded scientists and researchers. The new research suggest that the tornado like activity of V-Fib and its electrical waves is organized into spiral vortices, no matter what species of mammal is experiencing the VF. These vortices or rotors as they are sometimes called, keep the heart’s pumping chambers from pumping in sync, thus disorganized impulses and ultimately death. The paper also shows that across animal species — from mice and guinea pigs to sheep and humans — the frequency of the VF activity can be scaled usin... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1114003 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:08:11 +0100 1114003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1093161&cid=t_96094_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F199788042%2F Oh boy, I get so darn excited when I read anything about the progress of stem cell research. Yes, you know which side of the debate I sit on. Scientists are getting closer and closer to the use of stem cells to help rejuvenate damaged cardiac tissue! The two major hurdles that needed to be tackled are becoming a reality… …via Science Daily- solve two problems in the development of a stem cell heart patch. The first is undesirable side effects, such as arrhythmia, that can result from immature and undeveloped cardiomyocytes being introduced to the heart. The second is the need for a scaffold that is biocompatible with the heart and able to hold the new cardiomyocytes in place while they integrate into the existing heart tissue. Matching the material to human heart muscle is also... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1093161 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:41:33 +0100 1093161