I have waited a long time to see even one dronedarone (Multaq) success story. In the interest of having a fair and balanced blog, I report my first witnessed favorable therapeutic response to the controversial new Sanofi AF drug, dronedarone. Four months ago, I saw him in consultation for an inappropriate ICD shock due to […]
Even in Bordeaux, expensive robots prove no better than the human hands, in AF ablation. As presented last week at HRS, the justifiably famous Bordeaux group compared the highly proclaimed (especially in the mainstream media) robotic ablation system against the conventional human approach, and concluded the following… Conclusions: MNS (ed. note: MNS=robot) guided PVI in patients […]
He seeks me out for another opinion about his atrial fibrillation. This is good. “Doc, you know I had one of those ablation procedures (at another hospital) last year. It hasn’t seemed to work, as I am having lots of AF.” About that time, my MA comes in the room with a copy of the […]
To give credit when credit is due is right and just. Medical industry absorbs, in both the mainstream media and the blogosphere, their fair share of body blows. So here comes a glowing review of a new technology that has lived up to its hype. Carto 3 is the next generation three-dimensional cardiac mapping system, from […]
It’s official. It now takes longer to do all the necessary forms, than to do a simple cardiac procedure, like a cardio-version. Seeing the patient, administering a sedative, and delivering a synchronized shock that converts AF to regular rhythm takes just a few minutes. However, in 2010 (in all hospitals), the number of forms has […]
The chief actuary of CMS has recently released a 20,000 word document stating that even with the expected cost savings from our new health-care law, medical costs will continue to increase. Shocking. Our new health-care law means well. It will surely help some, like those with pre-existing conditions. As a preamble, I need to say: […]
Medical prowess has exploded in the past decade. Â The toolbox of therapeutic options has grown so large that often times, the most challenging aspect of patient care is in matching the right tool to the right patient. Â There is no better example than the expanding capability to ablate atrial fibrillation. Now that I can successfully […]
The solution is so easy. It sits right before our eyes. The methodology is known. Small Steps to Heart Health was big headlines in today’s WSJ. As if the secret was revealed. The report succinctly argues that simple lifestyle choices, like daily exercise and better nutrition are surprisingly successful. Shocking! As an illustration of a […]
The solution is so easy. It sits right before our eyes. The methodology is known. Small Steps to Heart Health was big headlines in today’s WSJ. As if the secret was revealed. The report succinctly argues that simple lifestyle choices, like daily exercise and better nutrition are surprisingly successful. Shocking! As an illustration of a […]
Many of my athletic colleagues have shared their arrhythmia stories, both publicly and privately. The volume of these correspondences have surprised me. It is clear from reading many of these stories, that a few points of clarification are needed. I was furhter inspired to write more on the athlete conundrum after reading this Facebook status […]
The patient is anxiously sitting on the exam table. A notebook, a pencil and many papers from the internet and other doctors are close at hand. A spouse sits in the accompanying chair with an equally anxious face that says without words, “please help us out here.” The problem at hand is atrial fibrillation. Paroxysms […]