August Research Highlights

A Roundup of the Latest Medical Discoveries and Faculty News at Cedars-Sinai

Thermedical Announces FDA Approval of Clinical Trial for SERF Ablation to Treat Patients with Ventricular Tachycardia, Leading Cause of Sudden Cardiac Death

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 23, 2022 – Thermedical®, a developer of thermal-ablation systems to treat ventricular arrhythmias, announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an open-label, single-arm interventional clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Thermedical® SERF Ablation System with the Durablate® Catheter in people with ventricular tachycardia (VT) resistant to conventional treatment.

Johns Hopkins Medicine Study: Abnormal Heart Metabolism May Predict Future Sudden Cardiac Death

Adults with abnormal heart metabolism are up to three times more likely to experience life-threatening arrhythmias (an irregular heart rhythm), and MRI techniques could be used to detect the condition and predict future sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to a small, but rigorous study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers.

Deadly arrhythmia trifecta: Salt, swelling, and leaky sodium channels

Cardiovascular researchers at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have published a new study describing how deadly arrhythmias arise from elevated sodium levels, heart tissue irritation and swelling, and sodium channel abnormalities associated with Long QT syndrome. The scientists were the first to examine the impacts of heart tissue swelling and blood chemistry in relation to the syndrome.

Heart rhythm disorders: Mayo Clinic Healthcare expert shares 5 things it’s important to know

World Heart Day is Sept. 29 – Heart rhythm disorders are one of the most common cardiac problems. Arrhythmias cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. People can be born with them or develop them during their lives.

20-year Mayo Clinic study suggests return to play is manageable for athletes with most genetic heart diseases

Receiving the diagnosis of a genetic heart disease such as long QT syndrome, which can cause sudden cardiac death, has long been a game-ender for young athletes. But a 20-year study at Mayo Clinic following such athletes who were allowed to return to play suggests that the risks can be managed through a shared decision-making process. The retrospective study findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society on Tuesday, July 27, and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.