Active clinical trials for "Atrial Fibrillation"

The purpose of this study is to assess the value of ablation of high frequency sources following circumferential pulmonary veins isolation in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. The incidence and prevalence of AF increase exponentially with increasing age and AF is associated with higher mortality, more frequent hospitalization, and lower quality of life. Furthermore, AF is often associated with heart failure. The majority of AF is initiated by ectopic foci found primarily in the pulmonary veins. It was shown that catheter ablation of those veins could eliminate episodes of AF. In patients with heart failure, catheter ablation could improve cardiac function, symptoms and quality of life. It remains still unknown whether AF ablation is more effective than conventional treatment in terms of mortality and morbidity.

The primary purpose of this study (CLN-504) is to determine the safety and develop a dosing regimen of an investigational anticoagulant drug (ATI-5923) in patients with atrial fibrillation.

This is a study of different techniques for treatment of atrial fibrillation using a procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. Atrial fibrillation (called AF) is when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat much faster than the lower chambers, causing the heart to beat less effectively. AF can cause stroke, impaired performance, palpitations, shortness of breath, passing out and other symptoms. Radiofrequency ablation involves placement of catheter/electrode wires into the heart through plastic tubes inserted into veins / arteries in both the groins and the right side of the neck under local anesthesia. Radiofrequency energy is delivered to the areas inside the heart that cause the rapid firing of the atria, causing small lesions or "burns" that destroy the heart tissue where the extra electrical impulses come from. Commonly this area is where the four pulmonary veins (PV) deliver blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart, and the procedure is also referred to as "pulmonary vein isolation" or PVI. This study compares two different strategies for performing the pulmonary vein isolation procedure, and compares the effect using two different types of radiofrequency ablation catheters.

To investigate whether statin therapy utilizing the drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) might be effective in preventing short-and long-term atrial fibrillation (AF) following a left atrial ablation procedure. We further hypothesize this reduction will result from diminished peri-procedural inflammation, which will be reflected in lower C-Reactive Protein (CRP) values in the blood.

The purpose of this study is to test whether the drug, atorvastatin, will be able to reduce the rate of return of the abnormal beats after using cardioversion. Atorvastatin is a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of high cholesterol but is not approved for preventing abnormal heartbeats. In addition to lowering cholesterol, the drug reduces inflammation. Inflammation seems to help cause atrial fibrillation, a certain type of abnormal heartbeat. In animals, atorvastatin reduces the risk of this type of abnormal beats, and preliminary data in humans supports an effect of atorvastatin and other similar drugs that have the same action on reducing the risk of this type of abnormal beats. We, the researchers at Emory University, would like to learn if this drug could prevent the return of these abnormal heartbeats.

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of an investigational antiarrhythmic drug (ATI-2042) in the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with a dual chamber pacemaker.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether fish oil supplements may reduce the frequency and duration of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episodes. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition which effects a large percentage of the population . Atrial fibrillation is a condition frequently experienced by people who have had pacemakers inserted . Certain Pacemakers have sophisticated monitoring features that are able to recognise episodes of atrial fibrillation. Fish oil supplements may be of benefit to patients with heart problems.Recent evidence suggests that fish oils may be beneficial to patients with rhythm disturbances. By interrogating pacemakers this study will investigate the effect of fish oil supplements on the frequency and duration of episodes of atrial fibrillation.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of Omacor (omega-3-acid ethyl esters) in patients with recurrent, symptomatic atrial fibrillation.

Patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis or with irregular beat (atrial fibrillation) have a high risk of blood clot formation. Such clots can result in a stroke. The patients are treated with warfarin - a "blood thinner" - to prevent these complications. The treatment has to be monitored with a blood test called Prothrombin time (PT) every 1-4 weeks. The dose of warfarin has to be changed whenever the PT result is outside of the treatment range. If the result is too low there is an increased risk of blood clots. If, instead, the result is too high there is a risk of bleeding. One third of the patients have very stable PT results and hardly ever have to change the dose. The investigators hypothesis is that these patients can go less often, e.g. every 12 weeks, for the blood tests.