Archive for arrhythmia
Finding ways to reduce the financial and social costs of pacemakers
As the number of complex heart operations has increased over the years, so have cases of postoperative heart block, a form of arrhythmia that often requires a pacemaker and more surgery. Heart block occurs when unseen conduction tissue — the cells and electrical signals that control the beating of a heart — is injured. It is a ... Read More about Finding ways to reduce the financial and social costs of pacemakers
A lifetime of treatment inspires Ruth to advocate care for others
Ruth Ngwaro offers guidance to children who have heart disease. Perhaps her most useful bit of advice is telling them to not look too far ahead in their lifelong journeys and instead focus on what they can do each day. She would know: Throughout childhood and well into adulthood, Ruth was in and out of ... Read More about A lifetime of treatment inspires Ruth to advocate care for others
Getting to the heart of heart muscle function
Every heart muscle cell, or cardiomyocyte, is studded with tiny, intricate structures called dyads. The dyads are like orchestra conductors: They coordinate incoming electrical signals with release of calcium in the muscle, triggering contraction. When dyads work properly, the different segments of heart muscle contract in unison; when they don’t, heartbeats may be too weak ... Read More about Getting to the heart of heart muscle function
“Seeing” the unseen: A way to pinpoint elusive cardiac conduction tissue
When patients with congenital heart issues have an operation, surgeons have to proceed with an “eye of faith” as they work around conduction tissue — a network of cells and electrical signals that control the beating of a heart. Not visible to the naked eye, conduction systems vary person to person, but they’re particularly difficult ... Read More about “Seeing” the unseen: A way to pinpoint elusive cardiac conduction tissue
From ICU patient to nursing student: Atiana’s heart journey
Atiana Lancaster was 13 and playing the last few games of lacrosse season in 2015 when she started having unusual — and worrying — symptoms. “I had horrible headaches, tiredness, chest pain, and trouble breathing, so I had to keep going off the field when I was playing,” she says. “At the time, I thought ... Read More about From ICU patient to nursing student: Atiana’s heart journey
Coordinated care and research for genetic cardiovascular disorders
Genetic cardiovascular disease in children sometimes comes to light in a crisis — a sudden collapse, sudden breathing difficulty, a sudden death in the family. Or it may be part of a diverse collection of symptoms, mostly having nothing to do with the heart. Sometimes it is picked up incidentally. “From an incidental ECG finding ... Read More about Coordinated care and research for genetic cardiovascular disorders
Ava’s journey with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Claire Poole never thought a 10-year-old could have a heart condition. So when her daughter, Ava, slumped against the wall exhausted and complaining of arm pain one Sunday in 2012, Claire assumed she had overextended herself at a sleepover the previous night. “When we got into the car, Ava turned grey and had trouble breathing,” ... Read More about Ava’s journey with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Tissue models and a gene therapy for a deadly heart arrhythmia
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a leading cause of sudden death from cardiac arrest in children and young adults. Marked by racing, irregular heartbeats, the inherited arrhythmia is typically silent until a child suddenly collapses and faints, at an average age of 12. The trigger is an adrenaline surge, caused by exercise or emotional ... Read More about Tissue models and a gene therapy for a deadly heart arrhythmia