Atrial Fibrillation: Video Podcast
The following videos cover the pathophysiology, as well as the clinical and management challenges of atrial fibrillation. These materials may be downloaded for your personal use only.
If you are an iPod® user, click on the iTunes® link below. If you use another portable device or web-based Podcast player, use the RSS feed below.
Available Episodes
The Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System and Its Role in AFib—Warren M. Jackman, MD
As Warren M. Jackman, MD, of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Phoenix, describes it, the recently discovered autonomic nervous system of the heart is an intricate system that plays a major role in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation. Watch as Dr Jackman homes in on the system’s role in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and then explains where our newfound knowledge of this entity might take the field in the next few years.
The role of the sympathetic nervous system in AFib—Mohamed Hamdan, MD
What are the possible processes at work behind the demonstrated link between atrial fibrillation and worsening heart disease? In this podcast, Dr Mohamed Hamdan, of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, points to the negative consequences that result from excitation of the sympathetic nervous system.
Individualizing therapy in AFib—Jeremy Ruskin, MD
In addition to briefly providing a personal perspective on the history and current state of atrial fibrillation research, Dr Ruskin draws from his extensive clinical experience with the variability of AFib symptom presentation, including instances of unrecognized burden, to suggest effective approaches in addressing this complicating factor.
The AF-CHF Trial Analyzed In-Depth—William T. Abraham, MD
With future increases in the incidence of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure threatening to reach epidemic proportions, the results of the AF-CHF trial were eagerly awaited for the insights they might provide into the management of these two challenging disorders. In this podcast, William T. Abraham, MD, of Ohio State University in Columbus, provides an in-depth analysis of the trial’s results and clinical implications.
Controlling Sinus Rhythm: Benefits and Patient Selection—Jonathan Steinberg, MD
What are the benefits of controlling sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation and which patients are more likely to benefit from sinus-rhythm control? Such questions are addressed in this podcast as Jonathan Steinberg, MD, of the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York, describes the ideal patient for rhythm control, which patients are not good candidates, and the types of patients who fall in between.
The Challenges of Managing Older Patients With AFib—James A. Reiffel, MD
What special challenges do older patients with atrial fibrillation represent that are distinct from the treatment of younger, healthier patients? As our guest expert, James A. Reiffel, MD, of the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, makes clear, the older a patient with atrial fibrillation happens to be, the more likely his or her cardiologist will have to deal with issues such as multiple comorbidities and multidrug therapy.
The Epidemiology of AFib and Its Clinical Implications—Brian Olshansky, MD
Because of the increased number of cases of atrial fibrillation estimated to occur over the next 20 years, management of atrial fibrillation will require an increased understanding among clinicians of its symptoms, risks, and complications. In the following interview, Brian Olshansky, MD, of University Hospitals of Iowa in Iowa City, sheds light on this growing problem, including the use of anticoagulation for reducing the risk of stroke and other thromboembolic complications and knowing when it is appropriate to consult with an electrophysiologist.
Atrial Fibrillation: An Impulse That Has Lost Its Way
Remodeling due to atrial fibrillation begins within hours, setting into motion a cascade of cardiac changes that eventually become irreversible. Introduction by Dr Eric Prystowsky.
Atrial Fibrillation: Opinion Leaders' Voices
Internationally recognized opinion leaders Drs Eric Prystowsky, Peter Kowey, and Gerald Naccarelli offer candid views on the consequences of atrial fibrillation, recent major studies, the role of maintaining sinus rhythm, and clarification of treatment goals in the management of atrial fibrillation.
