4:2002 (July/August)
Interview with James M. Sweeney,Chairman and CEO, Cardionet
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 3615 reads
Cardionet has recently developed the first mobile cardiac telemetry service, allowing real-time, heartbeat by heartbeat monitoring of patients without hospitalization. Their ECG monitoring and analysis and response for patients provides service anywhere, anytime. The service was initially focused on helping physicians diagnose and treat patients with arrhythmia.
The company, which began operating in 1999, is headquartered in San Diego, California. In February 2002, CardioNet received FDA approval for their core monitoring technology, the CardioNet Ambulatory ECG Monitor with Arrhythmia Detection, and opened its first CardioNet Service Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cardionet Chairman and CEO James M. Sweeney has long been a leader in the health care industry. He is best known as the pioneer of the home infusion industry through Caremark, which he founded.
Diagnosis: Flutter
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 2365 reads
Patients with atrial flutter have been exposed to anticoagulation therapy, cardioversion and drug regimens to control rate and protect them from the symptoms. When these therapies grow old or are no longer effective, they look to their electrophysiologist for a cure, which is ablation therapy.
Counterclockwise or Type I isthmus-dependent atrial flutter is one of the most common supraventricular tachycardias seen in electrophysiology labs today. This being true, it is also one of the rhythms that can be cured with radiofrequency ablation in a relatively short time. The methods and equipment vary, but the goal of achieving bi-directional isthmus block is common.
EP Lab Digest speaks with EP Physician Alejandro Perez Lugones, MD
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 1349 reads
It was concluded that it was equally as safe and effective in a group of patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction, averaging less than 40% as in those with normal heart function. His research was presented at this year s ACC meeting in March 2002. Research has shown that more than 80% of cases of refractory atrial fibrillation are cured by pulmonary vein isolation. For returning or further ablation, the rate is 95% success. In addition, after recovery, most patients can stop taking blood thinners. Read about his recent work in pulmonary vein isolation at the Cleveland Clinic.
Did you attend the NASPE meeting this May? What information did you see come out of this year's meeting?
Yes, I was at NASPE. I was interested in finding out more information on mapping systems; researchers are beginning to use them to be able to see how the pulmonary vein anatomical activation is related to atrial fibrillation.
Sudden Arrhythmias Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation: Saving Lives Everyday
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 1000 reads
Actually, inherited LQTS is still often undiagnosed and untreated, so the affected persons remain at risk for syncope and sudden death. Since inherited LQTS is a very treatable disorder, SADS believes it is important that both medical professionals and the public be informed about this condition and its treatment options. In addition, SADS is dedicated to educating others about the many commonly used prescription medications which cause medication-induced LQTS. Long QT Syndrome is estimated to afflict 1 in 5,000 people in the U.S. (over 50,000 people), and may cause as many as 3,000 deaths (mostly in children and young adults) each year. The foundation is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Spotlight Interview: The Georgia Heart Center
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 948 reads
The Georgia Heart Center recently received a five-star report card rating from HealthGrades.com, Inc., reflecting the hospital s superior quality of care in its heart program. This rating places them in the top 10 percent of medical facilities nationwide for its heart program, out of approximately 5,000 hospitals.
What can you tell us about your facility?
Our EP lab is part of the Georgia Heart Center at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. MCCG was founded in 1895 and has become a premier health care provider. We are a 518-bed teaching hospital. The Georgia Heart Center has been named one of the top 100 cardiovascular centers in the U.S.
What is the size of your EP lab facility and number of staff members? What is the mix of credentials at your lab?
A Recipe for Success in the Treatment of Atrial Flutter
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 1908 reads
The treatment of certain arrhythmia substrates sometimes requires deeper and/or wider lesions than can be created with standard radiofrequency (RF) ablation. Typical atrial flutter is one of these substrates. The ablation of typical atrial flutter requires contiguous ablation of the tricuspid valve/inferior vena cava isthmus, which is a critical component of the atrial flutter circuit. In this instance, we have found that an ablation tool that can create larger than normal lesions can be beneficial. By delivering greater total lesion volume than standard ablation, case times can be decreased significantly and recurrence rates improved.
Clinical Trial: The Rites of Passage
- Sat, 5/3/08 - 1:34pm
- 0 Comments
- 1153 reads
Every medical device has to pass a series of tests before it can be made available for general use on human patients. This is a long, arduous process with many unknowns and potential roadblocks along the way. Making it work requires close cooperation between the manufacturer and clinical teams at a variety of institutions who have an interest in testing the device for the good of their patients and the good of a great many patients in the general population.
