Strategies for Management of Atrial Fibrillation: State of the Art in 2023

Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type cardiac arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation results in an irregular rhythm, often with a heart rate over 100 beats per minute. Atrial fibrillation is important because it increases stroke risk, causes symptoms, and increases the risk of heart failure, mortality, and dementia. By 2030, approximately 12 million people in the U.S. will have AFib. Join Johns Hopkins AFib experts, Drs. Hugh Calkins and Ron Berger, for an informative introduction to this all-too-common cardiac condition and the most effective treatments for AFib and stroke prevention.

Ronald D. Berger, M.D. Ph.D. received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1987, he earned his MD from Harvard Medical School. Continuing his education, he completed Medical residency at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston followed by Cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1993. Dr. Berger is Professor of Medicine, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Nicholas J. Fortuin MD Professor in Cardiology, and Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program at Johns Hopkins University. As Fellowship Director, he has trained over 60 fellows in Cardiac Electrophysiology. Dr. Berger also served as Interim Chief of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins from 2018 to 2020.

Dr. Berger has made important contributions in several areas of investigation, applying signal processing and electrical engineering concepts to solve problems in arrhythmia diagnosis and management. He developed an electrocardiographic processing methodology to assess risk of life-threatening arrhythmias in patients with cardiomyopathies. He also developed technologies for ECG analysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and for reducing the pain of defibrillation shocks from implanted ICDs. Each of these technologies has led to numerous publications as well as licensing arrangements facilitating tech transfer into clinical use. He has published over 300 papers in the medical literature and holds over 30 U.S. patents. Dr. Berger has received multiple awards for his research, including the Johns Hopkins Solo Cup Clinician Scientist Award, a FIRST Award from the NIH, an Established Investigator Award from the AHA, and an Abell Foundation Award for Research Translation. He is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Heart and Vascular Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Office of Alumni Relations.