Here are 13 things I tell AF patients. I am sorry that you have AF. Welcome to the club, there are many members. (Three million Americans and counting.) I know how it feels. Your fatigue, shortness of breath and uneasiness in the chest are most likely related to your AF. AF may pass without treatment. […]
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I love cycling. Being outdoors, pedaling, feeling the swoosh of the wind, these are all sensations that more people should enjoy. They are sensations of happiness. And oh, does the heart love happiness. I also love my country. America is an amazing place. If you take a moment to really look past the mundane of […]
I get a lot of questions about atrial flutter. Atrial flutter is a common arrhythmia that shares many similarities to its next of kin, AFib; but there are important differences. Let’s go over 15 basic facts and important points about atrial flutter. (In plain English.) 1. Atrial flutter is defined as a rapid but organized […]
It’s time to do an update on the treatment of atrial fibrillation. It’s been a while, and there are worthy things to report from the real world. Stroke prevention in AF: Always start with basics: The most important aspect of treating atrial fibrillation is preventing stroke. Although there are some innovative devices and procedures in […]
How should doctors behave online? This is a funny question, isn’t it? Medical establishment loves rules and hierarchy. Social media does not. Social media levels the playing field of who gets to talk; it gives real caregivers a voice. That’s very cool. This is just a guess, but I suspect there are many more acts […]
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Trying to understand ICDs
Hey all, A couple of months ago I got a call from Dr. Rich Fogel, an electrophysiologist from St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indiana. He is an old friend from training days; I used to moonlight for his group. Now, Rich is on the leadership track in the Heart Rhythm Society and this year he is […]
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How safe is a Z-pak?
Text message: “John, This cough and congestion is killing me. It’s turning thick and green. Can you write me a Z-pak? It always works for me.†If you write a blog on medical decision-making and heart rhythm matters, it seems an incredible omission not to opine on the FDA warning concerning the commonly used antibiotic […]
Every once in a while a news item becomes so big that a threshold is reached. Thinking people must weigh in. When the US Supreme Court hears two cases involving the rights and treatment of individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, there is a lot at stake. Our country faces a really important […]
As most of you know, I also write a column (Trials and Fibrillations) over at the online Cardiology news site, theHeart.org. My most recent article highlights what I thought were the top news stories in electrophysiology in 2012. There were many. Gosh were there ever. I broke a major rule of writing online articles: It […]
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Post Election Blues
I am writing this immediately after awakening on Wednesday morning. I am sad. Not about the results. As a political agnostic, I’m going to work as I do every day. There won’t be any major changes. I’ll listen, exam, teach, ablate and implant evidence-based devices. Perhaps in the coming months, the 10-minute procedure will require […]
There was good news today in the atrial fibrillation world. Though no surprise to heart rhythm doctors, an FDA investigation reveals no evidence that new cases of bleeding are any higher with dabigatran (Pradaxa) than with warfarin. The full statement from the FDA is here. The assessment was undertaken because after approval of the novel […]