Active clinical trials for "Atrial Fibrillation"

Postoperative bleeding is a common consequence after heart surgery which can significantly impact outcomes and costs . When bleeding occurs, reliable postoperative blood evacuation of the pleural, mediastinal and pericardial spaces with chest tubes is imperative to facilitate pulmonary reexpansion and mediastinal decompression as the patient recovers. When postoperative blood evacuation is inadequate, complications from retained blood can result. Clinically, retained blood may be recognized acutely or sub acutely. The acute clinical presentation is usually blood and fresh thrombus around the heart or lungs presenting as tamponade or hemothorax. The subacute clinical presentation is bloody pleural or pericardial effusions. These effusions are often driven by the breakdown of remaining thrombus. Once retained blood occurs, subsequent procedures may be needed to remedy it. Interventions to remove postoperative pericardial and/or pleural fluid or blood and reoperations due to bleeding are captured under a composite termed Retained Blood Syndrome, or RBS. The need for treatment and interventions for these conditions represents an impediment to patient recovery and involves both resource and economic consumption for a heart program and the healthcare system at large. A recent review of the literature indicates that additional procedures for RBS are demonstrated in approximately 15% to 20% of patients after heart surgery. In a prospectively collected US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2010, RBS could be demonstrated in 17% of patients. In this analysis, mortality was doubled from 4% to 8%, length of stay was increased by 5 days, and average costs were 55% higher. Patients with RBS, therefore, represent an increased at-risk population for complications and costs. Postoperative obstruction of conventional chest tubes with blood and other fibrinous material in the setting of postoperative bleeding contributes to RBS. In a study of postoperative cardiac surgery patients at the Cleveland Clinic, 36% of patients were found to have evidence of chest tube obstruction. Active Clearance with PleuraFlow has been shown to prevent chest tube clogging, and reduce RBS. The purpose of this registry is to evaluate the effectiveness of the PleuraFlow System, a commercial Class II (US), Class IIb (Canada, Europe, and Australia), in the management of blood evacuation after cardiac surgery.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its treatment in relation to thromboembolic events (stroke, and transient ischemic attacks) and intracranial hemorrhage. Primary Outcome Measures: - Incidence and timing of intracranial complications (stroke,TIA, bleedings) in relation to diagnosis and anticoagulation treatment of AF during the study period; comparison of complications between those with and without anticoagulation treatment according to CHADSVASc score. Secondary Outcome Measures: The effect of anticoagulation pauses and INR level on stroke and bleeding risk; strokes within 30 days after anticoagulation pause and the prevalence of stroke and intracranila bleeding in relation to INR level < 2, 2-3 and >3. Trauma as a risk factor for intracranial bleeding: percentage and risk factors for intracranial bleeding with or without trauma. Type of preceding trauma and type of intracranial bleeding. The time relation between diagnosis of AF and type of intracranial complications: Kaplan Meier analysis of thrombotic (Stroke/TIA) and intracranial bleeding complications after 1st diagnosis of AF in patients with and without anticoagulation The risk of stroke and intracranial bleeding in relation to CHADSVASc score, HAS-BLED score and anticoagulation/antithrombotic treatment Prognosis of stroke and intracranial bleeding: 30-day mortality after stroke and intracerebral bleeding in patients with and without anticoagulation Factors related to underuse of anticoagulation treatment. Data on reasons for not starting or stopping aticoagulation in those with indication of oral anticoagulation Operations and procedure as risk factor for stroke: Frequency and type of operations performed < 30 days before stroke. Data on length of perioperative pause in anticoagulation and use of bridging therapy and timiing of stroke are collected. Cardioversions as a risk factor for stroke: Frequency of stroke and TIA < 30 days after cardioversion in relation to use of anticoagulation and CHADSVASc score The risk of stroke and intracranial bleeding in relation to type of AF (permanent, persistent, paroxysmal) and concomitant carotid disease Estimated Enrollment: 6000 patients.

Clopidogrel besylate (CB) is not differentiated relative to the orignal clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate (CHS) in the pharmacokinetics and in antiplatelet potency in healthy volunteers. In addition,CB exhibits similar pharmacodynamic properties compared to CHS in patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and in patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there is a lack of data on the clinical efficacy and safety of this salt to the original salt in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of CB in relation to that of CHS in patients eligible to receive clopidogrel.

Atrial Fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm that can occur after coronary heart bypass graft operations. How often this happens and what other problems occur for a person after these operations needs to be better understood. This study uses a device called the Reveal XT, a small device that records heart rhythms to track a patient's heart rhythms after the bypass surgery. The device is implanted at the time the bypass graft is made. The information that is gathered for this study will help physicians to provide better treatment and follow-up of the patients under their care.

This is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial to assess the efficacy and safety of colchicine for post-pericardiotomy syndrome prevention, post-operative effusions prevention, and post-operative atrial fibrillation prevention.

This research study is done to find out if genetic make up of a person plays a role in complications and recovery after the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) operation. As you may be aware, the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is a chemical in our body that carries the genetic information. There are common but very small variations (polymorphisms) that occur in DNA. We would like to find out if these common variations put a person at increased risk for developing complications- especially rapid irregular heart beat after the CABG operation.

The objective of this trial is to show the therapeutic efficacy of the preventive pacing therapies of the Selection 9000 and Vitatron T70 DR pacemakers, dedicated to handle atrial fibrillation (AF). Two new algorithms (post-AF response and ventricular rate stabilization [VRS]) will be assessed in a combined pathway, compared to a control group. The efficacy of the overall available therapies to prevent AF and its symptoms will then be assessed also.

Researchers are determining whether the use of the Sentinel cerebral protection device during atrial fibrillation ablation will affect the occurrence of new cerebral infarcts in brain MRI. We are also studying if laboratory tests can be used to predict the rate of cerebral infarction and microbleeds in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures with and without use of the Sentinel Device.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm disturbance affecting some 1-2% of the western population. It may cause symptoms such as irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, and fatigue. It may also be asymptomatic (ie "silent atrial fibrillation). In some cases, atrial fibrillation is permanent whereas in others it is sporadic. Regardless of symptoms, there is an increased risk of stroke in some patients with this condition. Novel technologies are being developed to increase detection of silent atrial fibrillation, in order to find patients who might benefit from treatment with oral anticoagulants (blood-thinning medications) in order to reduce the risk of stroke. One of these technologies is thumb-ECG, a simple way for a patient to have his or her heart rhythm reliably analyzed at home. Hyperthyroidism (sometimes referred to as "toxic goiter") is defined as an excessive production of thyroid hormone. It is known that hyperthyroidism may cause atrial fibrillation in about 8% of cases. Objective: To provide thumb-ECG-monitors to hyperthyroid patients before and after treating their hormonal disturbance, in order to find episodes of silent atrial fibrillation. Design: Prospective observational study. Hypotheses: Primary hypothesis: Silent atrial fibrillation is at least as common as overt atrial fibrillation in hyperthyroid patients. Secondary hypothesis nr 1: Atrial fibrillation continues to be more prevalent compared to the normal population even after hyperthyroidism is treated. Secondary hypothesis nr 2: The majority of patients with hyperthyroidism and atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of stroke and should be considered for treatment with oral anticoagulants.

The study is aimed at testing the hypothesis whether atrial fibrillary rate (AFR), as a measure of atrial electrical remodeling assessed from surface ECG, is predictive of sinus rhythm maintenance after electrical cardioversion. Earlier studies performed in a retrospective fashion suggested that high AFR exceeding 350-360 fibrillations per minute is an independent predictor of AF relapse after cardioversion, particularly in patients with duration of AF episode not exceeding 30 days, however this hypothesis has not been tested in a prospective study. CASAF is an observational study that will enroll patients with short duration (< 30 days) AF admitted for electrical cardioversion. Admission ECG will be extracted in a digital format and processed off-line for estimation of AFR. AF relapse will be assessed during 6-weeks long follow-up period during which ECG control will be scheduled at week 1 and 6.