No abstract

In this trial, LAA occlusion was noninferior to warfarin for ischemic stroke prevention or SE >7 days' post-procedure. Although noninferiority was not achieved for overall efficacy, event rates were low and numerically comparable in both arms. Procedural safety has significantly improved. This trial provides additional data that LAA occlusion is a reasonable alternative to warfarin therapy for stroke prevention in patients with NVAF who do not have an absolute contraindication to short-term warfarin therapy.

No abstract

This is a report of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) Task Force on Catheter and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation, developed in partnership with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society (ECAS), and in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA), the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). This is endorsed by the governing bodies of the ACC Foundation, the AHA, the ECAS, the EHRA, the STS, the APHRS, and the HRS.

TRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF) REPresents an important public health problem. Patients with AF have an increased longterm risk of stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. [1][2][3][4] Furthermore, patients with AF describe a considerably impaired quality of life (QOL) that is independent of the severity of the disease. 5,6 Restoration and maintenance of normal sinus rhythm following treat-ment directly correlates with improved QOL in these patients. [5][6][7][8] Although antiarrhythmic drugs are generally used as first-line therapy to treat patients with AF, effectiveness remains inconsistent. The likelihood of AF recurrence within 6 to 12 months approaches 50% with most drugs. [9][10][11] Antiarrhythmic drugs are also associ-ated with cumulative adverse effects over time. 1 Catheter ablation has accordingly become an alternative therapy for AF. 12 Several recent studies have See also Patient Page.

BACKGROUND-For patients who have a ventricular tachyarrhythmic event, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are a mainstay of therapy to prevent sudden death. However, ICD shocks are painful, can result in clinical depression, and do not offer complete protection against death from arrhythmia. We designed this randomized trial to examine whether prophylactic radiofrequency catheter ablation of arrhythmogenic ventricular tissue would reduce the incidence of ICD therapy.

No abstract

These 5-year outcomes of the PREVAIL trial, combined with the 5-year outcomes of the PROTECT AF trial, demonstrate that LAAC with Watchman provides stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation comparable to warfarin, with additional reductions in major bleeding, particularly hemorrhagic stroke, and mortality. (WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage System for Embolic Protection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation; NCT00129545; and Evaluation of the WATCHMAN LAA Closure Device in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Versus Long Term Warfarin Therapy; NCT01182441).