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Hi, Everyone! Brenna and I just received the recordings from our AV team this morning. We've been diligently working to prepare them in the Library for you, and we are about to start granting access to those who purchased access to the Recordings. It will help us tremendously to grant you access quickly if you already have an account created in our StopAfib.org Library. Instructions to create an account or log in to your existing account are here: https://www.stopafib.org/afib-resources/videos/ Melissa PS. Tomorrow is my last day serving StopAfib.org as the Director of Operations. I begin a new career adventure in September. It's been lovely to serve you and get to know you here. I wish you all a happy, healthy, in-rhythm life!

Slides are only available in the recordings once those become available. Mellanie covers this question and the answer in detail in her opening talk on Day 1.

The recordings will become available in the StopAfib.org Library as soon as we receive those from our AV company and get those uploaded there. If you have already purchased the recordings, getting your Library account set up will speed up our ability to deliver access to you. You can be sure your Library account is set up and ready to go by following the access information here. If you'd like to buy the recordings, they are available for purchase here. If you attended in person or via the livestream and would like to add the recordings, please reach out to us at support@stopafib.org so we may assist you.

I am curious about what you may have really enjoyed about the conference this weekend. What are you taking away from spending your time tuning into the sessions presented during the conference?

Sunday morning at this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, we will continue exploring patient involvement in afib research and how it could ultimately help us better manage our afib. During the Patient-Driven Afib Research Update, Dr. Bianca J.J.M. Brundel will talk about the role of “citizen science” and give us an update on the GGA/glutamine clinical trial we have helped fund. She will also discuss interim patient-reported outcomes on afib triggers, including stress, pesticides, and Covid-19. We’re excited to welcome new faculty member Myrthe Kuipers, co-founder of the Atrial Fibrillation Innovation Platform (AFIP) Foundation in the Netherlands to bring afib patient insights into research studies. She will talk about Online Communication to Improve Patient Research Involvement and discuss enhancing afib awareness and patient engagement in afib research and transforming big data into information and health insights to beat afib. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Dr. Brundel and Ms. Kuipers.

During Patient Participation in Afib Research Using Consumer Devices, Dr. Greg Marcus will talk about what patient-powered research is. He will discuss patient involvement in, and findings of, the I-STOP-AFib N-of-1 Triggers Study, as well as other trials using consumer devices (such as the Heartline Study and the Apple Heart Study). Dr. Marcus will also share about upcoming studies using consumer devices. Then, Mellanie is excited to share an Overview of Patient-Driven Research, in which she’ll talk about the evolution of research from patient-powered to patient-driven, and even patient-funded. She’ll share what patient-driven and patient-funded research is happening and how patients can get involved. Following our talks, we will have a Q&A with Dr. Marcus and Mellanie. This session is particularly exciting because it will set up for the presentation on Sunday morning by Dr. Bianca Brundel about her research, which we in the afib patient community are helping to fund. Patient-powered research gives us a voice in getting answers about topics that are important to us.

If you’ve ever considered having surgery to get rid of your afib, we think you’ll find the first Saturday afternoon session at this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.â Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference helpful and informative! During How Patients Decide on Minimally Invasive Surgery, Dr. Randall Wolf will share about mini maze procedures: who is a candidate, how it is done, and what to expect if you’re having it. He will also talk about whether left atrial appendage closure is included. Next, Dr. Ralph Damiano will cover How Patients Decide on Open Chest/Concomitant Maze Surgery. He will share when afib can be treated during other heart surgery (called a concomitant procedure) and when it is done as a standalone procedure for afib. He will also talk about who is a candidate for which, how each is done, what to expect, and whether left atrial appendage closure is included. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Wolf and Damiano. If you’re considering surgery as part of your afib treatment plan, we hope this session will give you a clear picture of afib surgery options. This is a special opportunity to hear from two afib rockstars and get your questions answered.

During the second Saturday session at this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, we will learn about Catheter Ablation Innovations. During What Patients Need to Know About Pulsed Field Ablation, Dr. Andrea Natale will talk about what the highly-anticipated Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) is, how it works, and how it compares to other ablation technologies. He will also cover who is a candidate for PFA, what patients need to know, whether it eliminates complications, and completed and upcoming PFA trials. Next, Dr. Randy Lee will share about Hybrid/Convergent Ablation. He will explain what it is and how it is done (combining catheter and surgical ablation), and who is a candidate for it. He will talk about what energy sources, devices, and mapping tools are used for the procedure, and what to expect before, during, and after having it. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Natale and Lee. If you’re considering a procedure as part of your afib treatment plan, this session may be particularly helpful and informative.

At this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, we will kick off Saturday with the latest updates on catheter ablation. During Conventional Procedures and Tools, Dr. Mark Link will share who is a candidate for catheter ablation, as well as different ablation tools and techniques, new approaches, and imaging and mapping. He will talk about ablation safety and what to expect if you have one. Dr. Doug Packer will then cover Updates & Trials. He will share about recent catheter ablation trials, including what they told us, and which trials patients should know about. He will also talk about new and upcoming trials and the future of ablation. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Link and Packer.

During our second Friday afternoon session at this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, we will learn about the latest in digital devices and artificial intelligence (AI) as they relate to afib care. During Choosing Digital Devices to Optimize Your Care, Dr. Jagmeet Singh will cover what devices are available for diagnosing and monitoring afib, which devices have regulatory clearance, and advice to optimize and provide rhythm strips and data to your doctors. He will also share about what other digital tools are coming, and what we can expect from them. Dr. Singh will then cover The Promise of AI for Afib Patients. He will talk about current AI applications in electrophysiology, including its promise and pitfalls. He will also discuss future technologies including wearables. Following his talks, we will have a Q&A with Dr. Singh.

In What Afib Patients Can Do to Get the Best Care, Dr. Eric Prystowsky will share advice for afib patients and their loved ones gleaned from decades of treating afib patients, including what doctors to see for afib, how to find or choose the right doctor, what to do and what not to do when communicating with doctors, and how patients can best work with the healthcare team. Most importantly, he will cover why sinus rhythm is so important for afib patients, and how to get treated properly. Dr. Jodie Hurwitz will cover Why Do Different Afib Patients Get Different Care. She will share about why afib runs in families and the implications for family members, such as prevention. She’ll discuss other factors that affect the care afib patients receive (race and ethnicity, sex and gender, socioeconomics, and health literacy). Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Prystowsky and Hurwitz.

And Dr. Natale is presenting on behalf of Dr. Devi Nair. Dr. Nair was run over by a cart in the hospital, so she's unable to be with us to present today.

People living with afib are more likely to have a stroke than those without it. That’s why we dedicate an entire session to stroke prevention at the Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference! During the second session Friday morning, Dr. Andrea Russo will cover Medications for Preventing Afib Strokes, in which she will take a deep dive into anticoagulants: what they are, who needs them, how much afib is needed to require one, how to choose the right one, reversal agents, the REACT-AF Trial of pill-in-the-pocket anticoagulants, the new Factor XI anticoagulants in trials (with the potential of stroke prevention without bleeding), and more. In Dr. Devi Nair’s presentation, Devices for Preventing Strokes, she will share about the role of the left atrial appendage (LAA), what LAA occlusion is and who it is for, when to choose LAA occlusion, device options, how it is done, and more. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Russo and Nair. Based on what we hear from folks who attend our conferences, fear of having a stroke is a major contributor to the stress and anxiety of living with afib. We hope this session will give you some peace of mind, knowing you have options to reduce your risk.

To kick off Friday morning, August 4, Dr. Jared Bunch will cover Managing Lifestyle to Manage Afib in which he will share about diet and weight, endurance exercise, sleep apnea, and other lifestyle issues related to afib. He will also talk about afib and dementia, including opportunities to lower our risk for cognitive decline. (You can click on his name above to learn more about him.) Then, Dr. Larry Jackson will cover Medications for Rate and Rhythm Control, where he will share how doctors choose which medications for us to use, which medications should not be used with specific conditions, and which ones require regular testing. He will also talk about various clinical trials and what they may mean for us. Following their talks, we will have a Q&A with Drs. Bunch and Jackson.

Yes, LakeCountry! There are chat boxes in the Livestream portal (getinrhythmlive.com) and you'll be able to ask questions there. Eliz, our livestream host, will aggregate questions and submit them to Mellanie and the Faculty on your behalf. We will also keep an eye on things here, but submitting your questions in the chat there may be best.

Welcome, Paul, Grant, and Donna!

Dr. Bunch will cover exercise in his talk. Dr. Jackson is expected to discuss Multaq in his talk, too.

Registration will be in the Regency Ballroom Foyer today, Thursday, August 3, from 4: 00–6:00 pm, and tomorrow morning from 7:00–8:30 am. SAF23 Attendee Welcome Letter.pdf

We're in Dallas now, and we’re so excited to begin this year’s Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference! We hope you are, too—because what you learn has the potential to help you take your life back and live like you want to. With the conference just one day away, we wanted to make sure you're set with the details you need to join us via livestream. Here's the information you need: Livestream Access Information: Link for Livestream Access: https://getinrhythmlive.com Enter Your Email Address Enter Your Password: Check Your Email Remember, this password is for your personal use only. Please do not share it with anyone else. We start tomorrow at 8:30 am CDT (we encourage you to tune in five to ten minutes early to join our livestream host before each session, and please note that there may be a lag of up to five minutes in distributing the livestream through all the channels). We will wrap things up at about 5:00 pm. To get ready for tomorrow, consider signing in sometime today to make sure your sign-in works. When you log in, you’ll see “Livestream Resources” at the bottom of the page. This is where you’ll find important resources you’ll want to have on hand during the conference, including the Program Book (that includes the Acronym List and Conference Evaluation)—you may want to print them out today, so you’re ready for tomorrow. You’ll also find the link to the online Conference Evaluation to provide us your feedback. Here's a brief overview of what to expect tomorrow: We look forward to sharing this important information with you! To your health, Mellanie True Hills Founder, StopAfib.org

We are looking forward to it, too!

I'm curious to learn whether you've been to our conferences before. Will this be your first conference with us, or are you returning? If you're returning, how many conferences have you attended? Can you believe we had our first conference ten years ago?

We are excited to offer this new channel for connecting and communicating with attendees of our 2023 Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference. We will post important updates here from time to time leading up to the conference. This is also intended as a space for attendees to connect before, during, and after the conference as you'd like. Melissa

We want you to have a great experience using our discussion forum. Here are some video tutorials addressing common questions about the forum. Click on the Links to access the tutorials. How to Sign Up for the StopAfib.org Discussion Forum How to Change My Forum Notification Settings

From Mellanie: If something is copyrighted (everything is, these days), you may quote a piece of it as long as that piece cannot stand alone or is not a substantial part of the whole (in other words, no more than 10% of the original piece). Otherwise, you must have written permission, and in many cases, pay a licensing fee for use. This applies whether it is in print or on the Internet - it is really no different. As an example, in one of my recent articles, I wanted to use a table from the ESC Guidelines. To do so, I first had to get written permission from the chair of the anticoagulant section of the guidelines (Prof. Lip) and the chair of whole guidelines committee (Prof. Camm) -- fortunately, both are on our medical advisory board, making it easier. Then, we had to get permission from the European Society of Cardiology, because they own the guidelines. Once that was done, we had to get permission (again in writing) from Oxford University Press as they publish the journal in which the guidelines were published. Fortunately we were able to get it all done in a few days, thanks to help from Prof. Camm and Prof. Lip. But the cost of publishing without written permission from all parties is much too great. Publishing a whole article, or significant portions of it, on this forum puts the person who posted it and the publisher of this forum (StopAfib.org) at significant financial and legal liability. As an author myself, I am very sensitive about having my own intellectual property compromised, and I cannot let this happen to someone else's intellectual property. Rather than taking a shortcut of just copying and pasting, we have to ask you to provide the title and link, and preferably to state what the article is about or why someone should bother to click on the link. Thanks.