What is the lowest change in cardiac output that transthoracic echocardiography can detect?

In critically ill patients, changes in the velocity-time integral (VTI) of the left ventricular outflow tract, measured by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), are often used to non-invasively assess the response to fluid... read more

Early or Delayed Cardioversion in Recent-Onset Atrial Fibrillation

Early or Delayed Cardioversion in Recent-Onset Atrial Fibrillation

In patients presenting to the emergency department with recent-onset, symptomatic atrial fibrillation, a wait-and-see approach was noninferior to early cardioversion in achieving a return to sinus rhythm at 4 weeks. The presence... read more

Association of Vasopressin Plus Catecholamine Vasopressors vs Catecholamines Alone With Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Distributive Shock

Association of Vasopressin Plus Catecholamine Vasopressors vs Catecholamines Alone With Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Distributive Shock

In this meta-analysis, the addition of vasopressin to catecholamine vasopressors compared with catecholamines alone was associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation. However, findings for secondary outcomes varied.... read more

Early Resumption of β Blockers Is Associated with Decreased Atrial Fibrillation after Noncardiothoracic and Nonvascular Surgery

Early Resumption of β Blockers Is Associated with Decreased Atrial Fibrillation after Noncardiothoracic and Nonvascular Surgery

Resuming β blockers in chronic users by the end of the first postoperative day may be associated with lower odds of in-hospital atrial fibrillation. However, there seems to be little advantage to restarting on the day of... read more

Magnesium Sulfate for Rapid Atrial Fibrillation?

Magnesium Sulfate for Rapid Atrial Fibrillation?

Currently, several medications are recommended for the management of atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response in the emergency department including calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and digoxin (the optimal... read more

Passive Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Commercially Available Smartwatch

Passive Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Commercially Available Smartwatch

In this author interview, Gregory M. Marcus, MD, MAS discusses passive detection of Atrial Fibrillation using a commercially available smartwatch.... read more

Catheter ablation lowers long-term risk of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients

Catheter ablation lowers long-term risk of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients

Atrial fibrillation patients with a prior history of stroke who undergo catheter ablation to treat the abnormal heart rhythm lower their long-term risk of a recurrent stroke by 50 percent. The Intermountain study compared... read more

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in the Critically Ill

Kyle Enfield, MD, speaks with Travis J. Moss, MD, MSc, and J. Randall Moorman, MD, about the article, "New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in the Critically Ill," published in the May 2017 issue of Critical Care Medicine. Drs.... read more

Detecting Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation with Cardiac Monitors

Detecting Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation with Cardiac Monitors

A group of researchers led by James A. Reiffel, M.D., did a study to determine the incidence of previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation in high-risk patients with the use of insertable cardiac monitors (ICM). The results... read more

A multifaceted intervention to improve treatment with oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation

A multifaceted intervention to improve treatment with oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation

Oral anticoagulation is underused in patients with atrial fibrillation. We assessed the impact of a multifaceted educational intervention, versus usual care, on oral anticoagulant use in patients with atrial fibrillation.... read more

Wireless ICM Captures Vital Information

Wireless ICM Captures Vital Information

The world's first smartphone-enabled, insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) provides powerful data to help monitor irregular heartbeats, unexplained syncope, palpitations and suspected atrial fibrillation (AF).... read more

Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Coutinho et al have performed a timely post hoc analysis consisting of a patient population from 2 large, prospective, core laboratory–adjudicated trials: Solitaire With the Intention for Thrombectomy (SWIFT) and Solitaire... read more

Dose-Adjusted DOACs: What Efficacy vs Warfarin?

Dose-Adjusted DOACs: What Efficacy vs Warfarin?

The direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) offer distinct advantages over warfarin - among them, dose adjustment is only needed in cases of impaired renal function, advanced age, low body weight, or potential for drug-drug interactions.... read more