Atrial Fibrillation - Common & Serious.

THE PROSTHETIC VALVE PENDULUM THAT IGNORES THE EVIDENCE

There are 2 types of prostheses that are used to replace diseased heart valves - mechanical and biological. Randomised studies have shown 2 differences between the 2 - biological prostheses are more likely to degenerate over time, especially if the age of the patient at implantation is under 65-70,   & patients receiving mechanical valves and who are therefore anticoagulated, are more likely to suffer an anticoagulant related haemorrhage. That's it.

HAVING YOUR CAKE AND EATING IT

The annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology is taking place at the moment in Paris. It is now the largest of the three big cardiology meetings - even bigger than the American Heart Association shindig.

BIOLOGICAL OR MECHANICAL , WHO KNOWS ?

Aortic Valve Replacement: A Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Mechanical Versus Biological Valves in Patients Ages 55 to 70 Years -- Stassano et al. 54 (20): 1862 -- Journal of the American College of Cardiology

A surgical randomized controlled study is always welcome and worth commenting on - they are difficult to organise and expensive and consequently they are rare.