EHRAPresident

🚨 Registration is now open for the #EHRA_ESC Certification Exams! Take the next step in your professional development and validate your expertise in: ⚡️ Invasive Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) 🔋 Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIED) #EHRA_ESC Certification is an internationally recognised benchmark of excellence in heart rhythm management and demonstrates your commitment to the highest standards of patient care. 📅 Limited places available – register early to secure your seat. 👉 Learn more and register: bit.ly/4fnwhhf @escardio @aportasanchez @purerfellner @HaranBurri @SergeBoveda

📖 For more information, remember the EHRA Practical Guide by @SteffelJ in @EuropaceEiC 2021 European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the Use of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation 👉 Read more: bit.ly/4vyjwWl #EHRA_ESC @escardio

🫀 #EHRAtopicweek | Vascular access in EP Anticoagulation: key take-home messages in context of vascular access ✅ No interruption of anticoagulation (DOAC or VKA) ✅ Minimally interrupted DOAC (skipping the morning dose) may be reasonable in selected patients. ❌ Avoid heparin bridging in patients on DOACs: it increases bleeding risk With ultrasound-guided venous access, uninterrupted anticoagulation has become considerably safer by minimizing accidental arterial puncture. What about protamine?🤔 No randomized trials. Maybe Protamin is “Solution for a problem, that should not exist”? It may shorten hemostasis and time to ambulation, but carries around 1% risk of hypotension and adverse reactions. In the era of US-guided access and modern closure techniques, routine use may not be necessary and could be reserved for selected cases. 🔄 Resume oral anticoagulation 4–6 hours after the procedure procedure (in no contraindication). In this case, withholding OAC/heparine use can be tailored to the patient specific TE/bleeding risk Read more 👉 bit.ly/4eTAp7w @escardio #EHRA #ESC

📖 Remember the STYLE-AF Trial by @RolandTilz in @EuropaceEiC Venous vascular closure system vs. figure-of-eight suture after AF ablation 🔹 Multicenter randomized trial (3 German centers) 🔹 125 patients randomized 1:1 Primary endpoint ➡️ Time to ambulation Primary safety endpoint ➡️ Major periprocedural adverse events until hospital discharge Results (vascular closure system group): ✅ Time to ambulation: 109 vs. 269 min (P<0.001) ✅ Time to hemostasis: 1 vs. 5 min (P<0.001) ✅ Time to discharge eligibility: 270 vs. 340 min (P<0.001) ✅ No major vascular complications in either group 📉 Trend toward fewer minor access-site complications (11.1% vs. 24.2%, P=0.063) Read more 👉: academic.oup.com/europace/artic… #EHRA_ESC @escardio

🫀 #EHRATopicWeek | Vascular access in EP What are the main vascular closure techniques, and how should we choose between them? 🔹 Arterial access: Vascular closure devices are generally preferred over manual compression. 🔹 Venous access: Several effective options are available. Both manual compression and subcutaneous figure-of-8 suture provide reliable hemostasis but require several hours of immobilization. 🔹 Venous closure devices (suture-based or collagen plug systems) enable very early ambulation, but at the expense of higher costs. ➡️ In everyday clinical practice, the choice of closure technique should be individualized according to the primary procedural goal (e.g. early ambulation, cost considerations, or workflow). Read more 👉 bit.ly/4eTAp7w @escardio #EHRA_ESC

🚨 Check out the recently published ULYSSES Trial in Europace! @dvidschaack Read here 👉 bit.ly/4ff6tnA 🔹 Multicenter randomized trial (6 centers, 968 patients) 🔹 Patients undergoing AF/AT ablation randomized to ultrasound-guided vs conventional (palpation-guided) femoral venous access 🔹 Trial stopped early for efficacy after enrollment of half of the planned study population 🔹 Primary endpoint: composite of venous access-site complications within 30 days (AV fistula, pseudoaneurysm, access-site bleeding requiring intervention or prolonged hospitalization) 🔹 Primary endpoint: 0.6% in the ultrasound-guided group vs 3.3% in the conventional group (HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.05–0.63; P=0.02) Ultrasound-guided vascular access should become the standard of care in EP labs. @escardio #EHRA_ESC @ehj_ed

🫀 #EHRAtopicweek | Vascular access in EP How common are vascular complications in everyday EP practice? Ultrasound-guided vascular access significantly reduces the overall vascular complication rate (1.2% vs. 3.2%) compared with the conventional approach (meta-analysis including 1 RCT and 1 observational study). ✅ Shorter puncture time ✅ Higher first-pass success ✅ Fewer puncture attempts ✅ Fewer inadvertent arterial punctures ✅ Benefits both trainees and experienced operators Ultrasound-guided vascular access should become standard practice in every EP lab. Read more 👉 bit.ly/4eTAp7w @escardio #EHRA_ESC

And don't overlook the basics 👇 • Review prior CT/MRI before you scrub in • Flag high-risk patients early: PVD, dialysis, prior access, hernias • Let patients drink clear fluids up to procedure time — safe, and better hydration = easier access • Obese patient? Plan for GA & Valsalva #EHRAtopicweek

🫀 #EHRAtopicweek | Vascular access in EP Landmarks alone can deceive you. At lower inguinal punctures, the femoral vein sits posterior to the artery (>50% overlap) in ~24% of cases — and fully lateral in 6%. That's why palpation-guided access carries a real AV-fistula risk. The fix? Ultrasound-guided access. Better success, fewer complications, especially in difficult or previously failed cases. Know the anatomy. Image the vessel. Puncture with confidence. 🎯 Read more 👉 bit.ly/4eTAp7w @escardio #EHRA_ESC

@tomdepotter is Associate Director at the Cardiovascular Center, OLV Hospital, Aalst, Belgium, where he leads electrophysiology division and is the head of research. He was Chair of the European Heart Rhythm Association Young Electrophysiologists Community since 2013 until 2017, and was co-Chair of the National Cardiac Societies Committee of the ESC Currently he is a chair of the EHRA Selection Committee. esc365.escardio.org/person/46611

New #EHRA_ESC CardioTalk podcast episode is out! 🚨 This month we are talking about a fundamental to every electrophysiologist topic, which often does not receive enough attention - Vascular access and closure management for EP interventions Join @tomdepotter @simovicst @micaela_ebert sharing their expertise 🎙️ @escardio

Can Pulsed Field Ablation transform the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias? Join renowned experts @AndreaSarkozy, Josef Kautzner, and Frédéric Sacher for an insightful discussion on the opportunities, challenges, and future role of PFA beyond atrial fibrillation. Explore the latest evidence and clinical experience in ventricular arrhythmia ablation 🤔 📅 28 July 2026 ⏲️ 18:00–19:00 CEST Secure your place today 👉bit.ly/3S8zlVw #EHRA_ESC @escardio

Diversity & Inclusion. Women in EP. Leadership across bias. #EHRASummit2026 — Tallinn 🇪🇪 Uncomfortable questions. No easy answers. What does it mean to build a career in EP without a template? How do we make modern electrophysiology accessible — regardless of gender, geography, or socioeconomic status? Country perspectives from 🇳🇱 🇹🇳 🇪🇸 reminded us: barriers differ, urgency doesn't. Electrophysiology should reflect the patients it serves — in its workforce, leadership, and science. That work continues. 💙 @escardio

⏰ Time change: The event is now 16:00–18:00 📍 European Parliament, Brussels | 🗓️ 1 July 2026 One preventable death every 2.2 minutes. It's time to act. At this landmark event, policymakers, clinicians, and patient advocates will come together to move beyond discussion — and deliver real, cost-efficient solutions across Member States. ✅ Identify risk ✅ Refer to the right care ✅ Protect families ✅ Train communities ✅ Equip systems ✅ Measure outcomes 🏁 The goal is simple: less inequality, fewer preventable deaths. 👉 Register now: lnkd.in/dVApnS9k

Most EP specialists master the craft. Few learn to lead the field. #EHRA_ESC @DASCAMaastricht exists for that second group — and the application deadline has just been extended to 22 June 2026! This isn't another CME box to tick. It's the highest level of #EHRA_ESC's flagship educational programme, co-designed with Maastricht University, built specifically for arrhythmia specialists who want to move from clinical excellence into real leadership — in research, in institutions, in the future of EP. You leave with: 🎓 A Certificate of Advanced Studies from Maastricht University 🔬 An optional PhD pathway 🤝 Direct mentorship from European leaders in the field 📚 4 intensive in-person modules + online introductory session ⚡ ~55 hours of structured learning per module — small groups, hands-on, no fluff This is where the next generation of EP leaders is shaped. The window is still open — but not for long. Apply by 22 June 2026 👉 🔗 bit.ly/4fyZKWf @kvernooy @JordiHeijman @EmmaSvennberg @Dominik_Linz @mspartalis5 @KurathKoller @DS_DoreenSch @Phiso_de @SergeBoveda @joselmerino @DavidDuncker @simovicst

In a prespecified OPTION subanalysis (n=1,600), #LAAO after AF ablation provided similar protection from death, stroke, or systemic embolism compared with OAC across HAS-BLED categories. Bleeding reduction consistently favored LAAO, with the largest relative benefit observed in patients with lower HAS-BLED scores.🩸🤔 🖇️ tinyurl.com/47ed9xaw #EHRAtopicweek #Epeeps @EuropaceEiC

In the OPTION trial, 1,600 patients with #AFib undergoing catheter ablation were randomized to #LAAO or OAC. At 36 months, LAAO reduced non–procedure-related major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (8.5% vs 18.1%) and was noninferior for the composite of death, stroke, or systemic embolism (5.3% vs 5.8%). 🖇️ tinyurl.com/5fp8nk5z #EHRAtopicweek #Epeeps @NEJM

In the CLOSURE-AF trial, 912 high-risk #AFib patients were randomized to #LAAO or physician-directed best medical therapy. After a median follow-up of 3 years, LAAO did not meet noninferiority for the composite of stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, or CV/unexplained death. 🖇️ tinyurl.com/5fp8nk5z #EHRAtopicweek #Epeeps @NEJM

📢 In the CHAMPION-AF trial, 3,000 patients with #AFib suitable for #DOAC therapy were randomized to #LAAO or DOACs. At 3 years, LAAO was noninferior for the composite of CV death, stroke, or systemic embolism (5.7% vs 4.8%), while reducing non–procedure-related bleeding (10.9% vs 19.0%; HR 0.55) 🖇️ tinyurl.com/4wua36vy #EHRAtopicweek #Epeeps @NEJM

👀Take a look at this #EHRA survey about #Afib ablation in elderly patients. Very important topic and <5 minutes to complete! @ManningerMartin @Dominik_Linz @simovicst @jongichun @kvernooy research.net/r/AFtreatmenti…