March 14, 2010
Endeavor Stent: 5-Year Data Show Safety and Efficacy Advantage
The presentation at today's American College of Cardiology meeting of the 5-Year clinical results from ENDEAVOR III, along with the results of Medtronic's (NYSE: MDT) pooled Endeavor Trials Program, offers what may be a new paradigm for judging clinical trial results. Especially when taken together with recent findings from such studies as FAME and ODESSA, angiographic late lumen loss, one of the standards by which the performance of drug-eluting stents initially has been judged, may not be as significant a factor as once thought. (Read more...)

March 13, 2010
Medtronic Starts International Study of CoreValve® Transcatheter Aortic Valve System
Moving to expand the evidence base for the future of structural heart disease therapy, Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced the start of the first of several new initiatives in a robust international clinical program for its CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve system, a minimally-invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for aortic valve replacement. (Read more...)

March 13, 2010
Transradial Hands-On Learning Labs Offered by Terumo at American College of Cardiology Meeting
Terumo Interventional Systems is sponsoring two days of hands-on training in the transradial approach to angiography and angioplasty for attendees of this year's American College of Cardiology 59th Scientific Sessions in Atlanta, Georgia. Building on its industry-leading transradial education focus, these sessions will be held in Lab #3636 on Sunday, March 14 and Monday, March 15 from 9:00am - 4:30pm. (Read more...)

March 12, 2010
FDA Alert: Plavix May Be Less Effective in Some Patients with Genetic Variation
What some clinicians have known about for some time is now official: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today added a boxed warning to the drug Plavix (clopidogrel) stating that, in some patients with a genetic variation of the cytochrome CYP2C19, Plavix may not be metabolized properly and therefore may not be effective for the indicated therapy. (Read more...)

March 12, 2010
Volcano Expands Access to FFR with Ability to Integrate with the Majority of Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems
The value of Fractional Flow Reserve in guiding PCI (percutaneous coronary interventions) has been shown in the FAME studies, as well as others. Yet the number of labs using FFR shows that it is an underused modality. Integrating FFR into standing hemodynamic monitoring systems simplifies the use of this valuable tool. Today Volcano announced that it is offering FFR technology integrated with the existing systems manufactured by GE, Siemens, McKesson, and Mennen. (Read more...)

March 11, 2010
Volcano Announces Activities at the ACC 2010
The company announced its activities today at Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Conference taking place in Atlanta from March 14th to March 16th. Presentations and new product launches will continue Volcano's mission to demonstrate the limitations of angiography and the value of IVUS, FFR and OCT. (Read more...)

March 3, 2010
Functional Measurement Functioning Well at Volcano
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) announced its fourth quarter results earlier today. And if the company's results are any indication, both IVUS and functional measurement (FM) technologies are increasingly finding a place in the interventional cardiologist's armamentarium. Volcano's sales of IVUS catheters were up 29%, but their FFR measurement product was up a whopping 92% over the previous fourth quarter. (Read more...)

March 3, 2010
Volcano Reports 44% Increase in Fourth Quarter Revenues
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) said today that revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, were $71.0 million, an increase of 44 percent versus revenues of $49.3 million in the fourth quarter a year ago. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 included $5.8 million from Axsun Technologies, Inc., which Volcano acquired in the fourth quarter of 2008, and contributed $578,000 in revenues in the fourth quarter a year ago. The Company also reported that IVUS disposable sales grew 29%, while FM (Functional Measurement) disposable revenues increased 92%. (Read more...)

February 19, 2010
Plavix After Stents: How Long?
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Current guidelines are for a year or more of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stents. But how did we arrive at that number and what research is currently being done? Should it be a longer period, or shorter? (Read more...)

February 17, 2010
Cardium Announces Agreement With bioRASI to Advance and Broaden Clinical Development of Generx Product Candidate
Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE Amex: CXM) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with bioRASI, an international contract research organization, to assist Cardium in the evaluation of Generx clinical development opportunities within major newly-industrializing markets in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America, for patients with chronic coronary artery disease who are either not optimal candidates for or do not have access to costly angioplasty/stenting or cardiac bypass surgery procedures. (Read more...)

February 16, 2010
Stents Downgraded by Wall Street Journal: If Only It Were That Simple
A broad-based critique, claiming overuse of heart stents and angioplasty, was published as a major feature in Thursday's Wall Street Journal. There's no question that the COURAGE study raised important issues, but the WSJ piece oversimplifies its implications and leaves out some critically important points. (Read more...)

February 16, 2010
Interview with Dr. Eric J. Topol: Optimal Antiplatelet Therapy After Stenting
Commenting on the very large DAPT trial, Dr. Topol says, "The notion that we should treat all patients for X duration is totally crazy. It completely goes against all the evidence that every patient is an individual with a separate biologic story.... I'm amazed that it's going forward." In this interview, Dr. Topol discusses the work his Institute at Scripps is doing in genomic studies of platelet responsiveness and its implications in determining the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. (Read more...)

February 12, 2010
Clinton and Eisenhower: Presidents, Hearts, Stents and 55 Years
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: It's a holiday concurrence: Valentine's Day and President's Day and American Heart Month -- and former President Bill Clinton who got his heart fixed six years ago and just got a "tune-up", is already back home. This was not the case 55 years ago when Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a massive heart attack. (Read more...)

February 11, 2010
IVUS vs. FFR -- Boston Style
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Is Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) really "10 times better" than Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR)? Boston Scientific thinks so. (Read more...)

February 11, 2010
Bill Clinton Has Angioplasty, Receives Two Stents
Former President Bill Clinton "is in good spirits" and recovering from a successful angioplasty procedure in which two stents were placed, according to Clinton spokesman Douglas Band. (Read more...)

February 9, 2010
Volcano Has AAA Week: Accused, Approved and Acquired
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) has had a pretty interesting week, from a jury ruling against the company to an FDA approval and a significant product acquisition. (Read more...)

February 9, 2010
Volcano Receives FDA Clearance to Market the Eagle Eye® Platinum Digital IVUS Catheter
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the Eagle Eye® Platinum digital IVUS catheter in the United States. This state-of-the-art catheter offers all of the benefits of the predecessor Eagle Eye® Gold catheter, plus improved deliverability and the convenience of additional radiopaque markers. (Read more...)

February 9, 2010
Volcano Corporation Completes Acquisition of Lumen Biomedical's Xtract™ Thrombus Aspiration Catheter
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leading developer and manufacturer of precision intravascular therapy guidance tools designed to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral vascular disease, announced today that it has acquired the Xtract™ Thrombus Aspiration Catheter device line from Lumen Biomedical. (Read more...)

February 7, 2010
Herbal Supplements vs. Heart Drugs: Controversy Re-ignited
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: An article, that should be of special concern to stent and angioplasty patients, appears in the current Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). This "state-of-the-art paper" from the Mayo Clinic has rekindled the herb vs. pill battle and raised the ire of the alternative medicine community. (Read more...)

February 5, 2010
Patent Spending
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Boston Scientific spends almost $2 billion to settle its long-standing patent issues with Johnson & Johnson. (Read more...)

February 5, 2010
Volcano Corporation Announces Litigation Status
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) today announced that the jury in the litigation filed by Lightlab Imaging, Inc. on January 7, 2009 in the Superior Court of Massachusetts, Suffolk County reached a verdict against Volcano and its wholly owned subsidiary, Axsun Technologies. (Read more...)

January 26, 2010
Cardium Provides Update on Commercial Development Plans for Generx Angiogenic Therapy for Heart Disease at 2010 Cell and Gene Therapy Forum
Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE Amex: CXM) has provided an update on plans for the continuing commercial development of Generx(TM) a DNA-based angiogenic therapy product candidate for patients with coronary artery disease. (Read more...)

January 26, 2010
Approvals and Acquisitions: Medtronic Continues Expanding Beyond the Coronaries
With the FDA's approval of its Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, the first percutaneous valve to be approved in the U.S., and its acquisition of European-based Invatec, Medtronic is positioning itself to expand its interventional cardiology portfolio well beyond the coronary arteries. (Read more...)

January 25, 2010
Stent Manufacturers Donate Millions To Haiti Earthquake Relief
In the two weeks since a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, the major U.S.-based stent manufacturers have responded by pledging over three million dollars of aid for both immediate and long-term relief efforts. (Read more...)

January 11, 2010
Volcano Corporation Announces Preliminary Record Revenues for Fourth Quarter 2009; Total Year Revenues are Expected to Exceed Prior Guidance
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) said today that it expects total revenues for fiscal 2009 will be approximately $228.0 million, with revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 expected to be approximately $71.0 million, reflecting year-over-year revenue growth of approximately 33 percent. (Read more...)

January 5, 2010
Volcano Corporation Announces Receipt of CE Mark for Its OCT Imaging System and Catheter
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) announced today receipt of CE mark for their OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) imaging system and catheter. Volcano's OCT product line is expected to complement its existing line of IVUS imaging catheters and pressure guide wires used for coronary imaging and lesion assessment. (Read more...)

December 15, 2009
Volcano Announces Installed Base Growth Milestone
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leading developer of precision intravascular therapy guidance tools - including Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR), Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS), Forward Looking IVUS and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) - designed to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral vascular disease, announced today the placement of over 2,500 s5 family consoles worldwide. The s5 family of consoles was first launched in April 2006, with more than 1,000 systems placed in the last 12 months alone. (Read more...)

December 8, 2009
Medtronic Hires Renowned Cardiologist as Vice President of Medical Affairs for Coronary and Peripheral Business
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced the hire of Prof. Martin Rothman as vice president of medical affairs for the company’s coronary and peripheral vascular business. Prof. Rothman will join Medtronic after 37 years of clinical practice in the U.K. as an interventional cardiologist. He is world renowned for his contributions to clinical research, training and education, and medical technology innovation in cardiovascular medicine. (Read more...)

December 5, 2009
Transradial Angiography and Intervention Seminar Now Online
This fall's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Francisco offered a unique and important session, "The Transradial Angiography and Intervention Seminar", comprising an entire afternoon with over twenty separate presentations by global leaders in the field of stents and angioplasty, as performed from the wrist. The complete session is now available online at the TCT's website, TCTMD.com (Read more...)

November 25, 2009
Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) Recognized in Guidelines, Not So Much In Reimbursement
Commentary From the Editor's Blog: Lower costs and a third less heart attacks and deaths. FFR should be in every cath lab, right? Yet currently penetration of this technology in the U.S. is only 5%. (Read more...)

November 25, 2009
Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) Gains in Updated ACC/AHA/SCAI Guidelines
The use of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) to determine whether or not to treat a coronary blockage with angioplasty or stents has received a boost from the newly released "Focused Updates to the ACC/AHA/SCAI Guidelines on Percutanous Coronary Intervention." (Read more...)

November 17, 2009
PPIs and Plavix -- Confusion Reigns Supreme
A warning from the FDA and the results of a new observational study call into question what some cardiologists thought was a settled matter: does taking Plavix with Prilosec, or other Proton Pump Inhibitors, cause increased risk of heart attack and other adverse events? (Read more...)

November 9, 2009
Volcano Corporation Presentation at Canaccord Adams Conference to Be Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacture and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, said today that it will be participating in the Third Annual Canaccord Cardiovascular Conference on Tuesday, November 10. (Read more...)

November 7, 2009
Donald Baim, Interventional Cardiologist, Dead at 60
Interventional cardiologist, Donald S. Baim, died yesterday following surgery, performed to treat a rare form of cancer that attacks the adrenal glands. He was 60. Baim was one of the pioneers of interventional cardiology, having worked with John Simpson at Stanford in the early days of balloon angioplasty. (Read more...)

November 5, 2009
Volcano Reports 22 Percent Increase in Third Quarter Revenues
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) today reported revenues of $53.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2009. The results for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, represent an increase of 22 percent over revenues of $44.1 million in the third quarter of 2008. (Read more...)

October 5, 2009
2009 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon “Global Heroes” Celebrate Accomplishment
Twenty-three Medtronic Global Heroes, long-distance runners who benefit from medical technology, successfully completed either the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or the Medtronic TC 10 Mile on Sunday, Oct. 4. These extraordinary runners hail from the United States and eight other countries, including Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. (Read more...)

September 24, 2009
Results From Landmark PROSPECT Trial Demonstrate the Ability of Volcano's VH® IVUS Imaging to Identify Plaques Most Likely to Cause Heart Attacks
PROSPECT results presented today include the landmark finding that angiographically mild lesions with certain morphologic features on grayscale and VH IVUS present with a 3 year cardiac event rate of 17%, versus other morphologies (indistinguishable by conventional angiograms) with three year event risks of less than 1%. (Read more...)

September 24, 2009
Prilosec and Plavix Together Again!
Late Breaking News form the TCT 2009. The COGENT Trial resolves the controversy over Proton Pump Inhibitors and Plavix. The result: no interaction was found between the two and it is safe for patients to take their Prilosec with their Plavix! (Read more...)

September 23, 2009
Volcano Corporation Praises FAME Study Results
The results of the prospective, multi-center trial at 12-months, originally published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009, demonstrate that patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease who were treated by FFR guidance had a 34% reduction in death and myocardial infarction (MI) compared to angiographic guidance alone. The clinical benefit of FFR-guidance at two years showed the sustained reduction in death and heart attacks of 34%. (Read more...)

September 22, 2009
SRO at the Wrist Angioplasty Seminar -- Transradial is Hot
From The Editor's Blog: I'm at the TCT in San Francisco, standing outside "The Transradial Angiography and Intervention Seminar" -- because (and a hundred or so cardiologists) can't fit in the room! (Read more...)

September 17, 2009
Angioplasty Comes Home to San Francisco (Video)
From The Editor's Blog: Next week thousands of interventional cardiologists will gather in San Francisco for the TCT, the largest meeting about angioplasty, stents and related procedures in the world. But what most of these cardiologists don't realize is that they will be coming home -- "home" being where the first coronary angioplasties were done. (Read more...)

September 16, 2009
Training for Transradial Angioplasty: Get On The Wait List
Courses in the transradial approach to PCI have been difficult to find, but as word about transradial's benefits spreads, a new problem has arisen -- attendance at these courses fills up even before the dates are announced. (Read more...)

September 16, 2009
Interview with Sunil V. Rao, MD, FACC
The Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab at the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina and author of a landmark study about transradial, discusses the current status of this approach in the U.S. and its growth. (Read more...)

September 16, 2009
Transradial Angioplasty at TCT
From The Editor's Blog: I've previously complained about how the national cardiology meetings have barely mentioned a technique used 50% of the time in Canada, Europe and Asia. But this year's TCT is stepping up and has even scheduled an entire afternoon symposium (Tuesday, September 22) devoted to transradial. (Read more...)

September 16, 2009
Transradial Angioplasty Activities at TCT 2009
This year's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Francisco will host a number of symposia and workshops highlighting the growing use of the transradial (wrist) approach to angioplasty, stenting and diagnostic catheterizations. The centerpiece of the weeklong activities is "The Transradial Angiography and Intervention Seminar" comprising an entire afternoon with twenty-three separate presentations by global leaders in the field. (Read more...)

September 15, 2009
Drug-Eluting Stents: Looking Ahead
From The Editor's Blog: During the first two days (September 21-22) of this year's TCT, the meeting will be hosting the "DES Summit" -- more than 16 hours of presentations -- over 100 separate short talks on every aspect of drug-eluting stents, from safety to antiplatelet therapy to biodegradable stents to drug-eluting balloons and the use of these devices in patients from stable to STEMI (heart attack). (Read more...)

September 15, 2009
Drug-Eluting Stent Summit Announced for TCT 2009 Meeting in San Francisco
Over 16 hours of presentations on drug-eluting stents will kick off next week's TCT meeting, billed as the largest global medical and scientific symposium dedicated to interventional cardiovascular medicine. The annual week-long meeting is being held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco this year, and will return to its regular venue in Washington DC in 2010. (Read more...)

September 13, 2009
Terumo Interventional Systems Announces Launch of Glidewire Advantage™ Peripheral Guidewire
The Glidewire Advantage Peripheral Guidewire combines Terumo’s well-established Glidewire construction on the distal 25 cm with a unique spiral PTFE coating on the proximal end. The result is a guidewire that easily navigates and crosses the lesion, while also providing the operator with excellent tactile feel and support for secure device placement. These two wire sections are seamlessly fused together using Terumo’s proprietary DuoCore™ Technology. (Read more...)

September 13, 2009
Terumo Interventional Systems Announces Line Expansion of Its Pinnacle® Destination® Guiding Sheaths
The introduction of the 8F Destination Guiding Sheath extends the range of interventional procedures that can be performed by this market-leading product to include atherectomy and stent graft procedures. The Pinnacle Destination Guiding Sheath line supports virtually all applicable diagnostic and interventional procedures, offering a comprehensive range of French sizes (5F – 8F), lengths and tip shapes as well as two different valve types. (Read more...)

September 10, 2009
Volcano Corp. Announces Events at TCT Meeting
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the fields of Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Functional Measurement (FM) today announced a wide variety of events taking place at this year's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Francisco. A wide spectrum of activities will demonstrate how these technologies can improve the results obtained from angioplasty and stenting, and includes late-breaking clinical trials, symposia with panels of experts, live case demonstrations and an investor event. (Read more...)

August 21, 2009
Interview with David E. Kandzari, MD
Dr. David E. Kandzari is Director of Interventional Cardiology Research at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California. His career in interventional cardiology has been unique in that he has had the opportunity to be involved in drug-eluting stent issues from multiple perspectives: academic, clinical, regulatory and industry. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Kandzari shares his thoughts on the current status of drug-eluting stents and the outstanding safety and clinical issues. (Read more...)

August 20, 2009
Transradial Angioplasty Training Course Announced for Scranton, Pennsylvania
To help meet the need for training of cardiologists and staff in the technique of transradial access for angioplasty and stenting, Pennsylvania-based Drs. Samir B. Pancholy and Ian Gilchrist have organized a one-day training course in the method. The didactic course will be held on October 10, 2009 at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. (Read more...)

July 29, 2009
Is Radioactive Isotope Shortage an Opportunity for CT Scans to Shine?
From the Editor's Blog: Maybe the shortage of technetium, used in nuclear stress tests, will increase the utilization of CT Angiography. (Read more...)

July 28, 2009
Transradial Wrist Angioplasty Safe and Effective in Treatment of Heart Attack
For patients having the most serious form of heart attack, a new study from the United Kingdom concludes that primary angioplasty performed from the wrist "is safe, with comparable outcomes to a femoral approach and a lower risk of vascular complications." (Read more...)

July 27, 2009
Volcano Corporation Schedules Second Quarter Conference Call, Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) will hold a conference call to discuss its financial results and operating activities open to all interested parties at 2 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time (5 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time), Tuesday, August 4, hosted by Scott Huennekens, president and chief executive officer, and John Dahldorf, chief financial officer. (Read more...)

July 10, 2009
Prasugrel / Effient Approved by FDA
After a year-and-a-half of review, amid concerns over potentially serious bleeding complications, the FDA today approved Eli Lilly's blood thinner Prasugrel (it will be marketed in the U.S. as Effient). (Read more...)

July 8, 2009
Volcano Achieves Major Milestone in Japan Direct Sales Initiative With Signing of Termination Agreement With Goodman
Volcano Corporation said today it has signed a termination agreement with its largest distributor in Japan, Goodman Company, Ltd. This agreement, which took effect today, will enable Volcano to accelerate its transition to a direct sales force in the market to support its intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and Functional Measurement (FM) consoles and disposables, as well as products currently in development. (Read more...)

July 5, 2009
Stents: An Insider's Look
From the Editor's Blog: I recently talked at length with Dr. Giulio Guagliumi of Bergamo, Italy about his extensive work with one of the newest intravascular imaging modalities that looks inside the coronary artery: Optical Coherence Tomography, or OCT. He's been using the light-based technique to examine implanted stents and determine whether or not healing has occurred; that is, whether the stent struts have been covered over by a layer of endothelial cells. (Read more...)

July 5, 2009
Interview with Giulio Guagliumi, MD About Optical Coherence Tomography and Stents
Dr. Giulio Guagliumi, an internationally recognized leader in the use of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in the coronary arteries, practices in the Cardiovascular Department of Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo in Bergamo, Italy. Dr. Guagliumi has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and is principal investigator in several clinical trials assessing the performance of stents inside the coronary artery, using OCT imaging. In this interview, he discusses the dynamic changes occurring with this technology. (Read more...)

June 22, 2009
Texas Governor Signs Landmark Early Heart Disease Detection Screening Legislation
Today Governor Rick Perry of Texas signed the nation's first preventive cardiovascular screening bill for early detection of coronary artery disease. The legislation, which will take effect on September 1, requires Texas insurers to pay up to $200 for a either a non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scan measuring coronary artery calcification, commonly known as a Calcium scoring exam, or ultrasonography for measuring carotid intima-media thickness and plaque. (Read more...)

May 28, 2009
Heart Experts: Texas Gov. Perry Can Save Thousands of Lives, Reduce Healthcare Costs
Both houses of the Texas Legislature have passed HR 1290 which mandate that Texas insurers must cover simple Calcium Scoring and ultrasound tests for the early detection of coronary artery disease. The leaders of SHAPE (Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication) which count among them some of the leading cardiologists in both the U.S. and Europe now hope that Governor Rick Perry will sign the bill, making Texas the first state to make available what these experts feel is a critically important diagnostic test. (Read more...)

May 26, 2009
Texas Senate Passes Calcium Scoring Bill
On Saturday May 23, the Texas State Senate passed the Texas Heart Attack Preventive Screening Bill (HR 1290) by a vote of 26-5. This is significant because it mandates insurers in Texas to cover Calcium Scoring, the first legislature to do so. (Read more...)

May 26, 2009
Women's Heart Health at Stanford
In my recent interview with Dr. Jennifer Tremmel, Clinical Director of Women's Heart Health at Stanford, we discussed some of the ways in which heart disease manifests itself differently in women than in men, and how treatment for women has been skewed by the historical context. (Read more...)

May 25, 2009
Meeting to Highlight Use of New Imaging Technologies for Guiding Stent and Angioplasty Procedures
This week marks one of the first courses to focus exclusively on the range of innovative intravascular imaging and measurement technologies that have been gaining in use over the past couple of years. "OCT, IVUS, FFR: When, Where, How" will be held on May 28 and 29 in Bergamo, Italy. The course will utilize the newest innovations in Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT), Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS), Virtual Histology (VH) and Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) and how they can be used to optimize percutaneous procedures, such as angioplasty and stenting. (Read more...)

May 20, 2009
Interview with Jennifer Tremmel, MD
Dr. Tremmel is Director of Transradial Interventions at Stanford Medical Center and Clinical Director of Women's Heart Health at Stanford Clinic. Within 6 months of learning the radial technique, she was doing 100% radial angioplasties, reducing complications from bleeding to near zero. (Read more...)

May 19, 2009
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Presentations by Volcano at EuroPCR 2009
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) today highlights its technology leadership position in the emerging field of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) at the EuroPCR conference in Barcelona, Spain. Volcano's wholly owned subsidiary, Axsun, has developed what we believe to be a truly revolutionary new class of ultra-miniaturized external cavity lasers that are expected to power the highest performance OCT systems for intracoronary and other medical imaging segments. (Read more...)

May 19, 2009
New Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Study of Underexpanded Stents, Thrombosis and Restenosis
A study, published in the current issue of JACC Interventions, details 120 drug-eluting stent cases as viewed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in order to examine characteristics that may lead to in-stent restenosis (ISR) or stent thrombosis. The researchers found that in cases of thrombosis, the proximal parts of many of the stents were inadequately expanded. An accompanying editorial suggests greater use of IVUS and more attention to detail can reduce the number of these adverse clinical events. (Read more...)

May 18, 2009
Medtronic to Participate in the Piper Jaffray Post-EuroPCR Summit
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) today announced it will participate in the Piper Jaffray PCR Post-Op Summit on Friday, May 22, 2009, in London. Scott R. Ward Scott Ward, President, CardioVascular Medtronic Scott Ward, president of the CardioVascular business and senior vice president at Medtronic, will speak to the attendees of the conference at 8 a.m. British Summer Time (2 a.m. Central Daylight Time). (Read more...)

May 18, 2009
Volcano Announces Worldwide Exclusive Distribution Agreement With Lumen Biomedical for Xtract™ Thrombus Aspiration Catheter
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) today announced an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement to initiate the formal launch of the Xtract™ thrombus aspiration catheter, manufactured by Lumen Biomedical. The Xtract thrombus aspiration catheter is available for immediate sale in the U.S. and Europe. This marks Volcano's entry into what some believe is a $70+ million aspiration market. (Read more...)

May 16, 2009
Innovative Stent Manufacturer XTENT Plans To Close Business After Failing to Find Buyer
XTENT (Nasdaq: XTNT), maker of an innovative stent that received the European CE Mark just two months ago, is closing its doors after failing to find a partner or buyer, a goal first announced in January. The Company's Board of Directors voted yesterday that "it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to liquidate the Company's assets and to dissolve the Company." The plan is subject to stockholder approval. (Read more...)

May 13, 2009
Volcano Corporation Presentation at JMP Conference to be Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) said today that it will be participating in the Eighth Annual JMP Securities Research Conference on Monday, May 18. The presentation by John Dahldorf, chief financial officer, will begin at 3:00 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time (6:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time). (Read more...)

May 6, 2009
Plavix PPI Study Released
From the Editor's Blog, what the newly released Medco Study of Plavix and Proton Pump Inhibitors means for physicians and patients. (Read more...)

May 6, 2009
Heartburn Drugs Increase Cardiac Events for Stent Patients by 50%
Most stent patients are required to take the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel (Plavix) for at least a year to prevent blood clots inside the stent. A new study, presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 32nd Annual Scientific Sessions, showed that the beneficial effects of Plavix are compromised by common drugs, used for the treatment of heartburn and ulcers: the combined risk of hospitalization for heart attack, stroke and other serious cardiovascular illnesses was increased by 50%. (Read more...)

May 6, 2009
Volcano Corporation Presentation at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Conference to be Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) said today that it will be participating in the Bank of America and Merrill Lynch 2009 Health Care Conference on Thursday, May 14. The presentation by Scott Huennekens, president and chief executive officer, will begin at 11:20 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time (8:20 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time). (Read more...)

May 5, 2009
Volcano Reports 1st Quarter Revenues of $49 Million; IVUS and FM Businesses Grew 24%
Volcano Corp. (VOLC) reports a greater loss over the same period in 2008, due mainly to lower margins and the strength of the dollar. However, revenue of intravascular ultrasound and functional measurement products grew 24%. (Read more...)

May 4, 2009
Effectiveness in Stenting
As Volcano's CEO Scott Huennekens writes in an op-ed piece, there's a whole toolbox of devices and techniques that are candidates for "comparative effectiveness" in that they may be able to increase the success of interventional procedures -- or even target patients who need these procedures more accurately. (Read more...)

May 1, 2009
Comparative Effectiveness Research and The Patient
More than a billion dollars has been allocated to "Comparative Effectiveness Research" in the U.S. Federal government's stimulus package, yet the term continues to be confused with "cost-effectiveness". They are not the same, and in an attempt to clarify the difference, Angioplasty.Org will be posting a number of articles and interviews in the near future about these issues: specifically how they impact the field of interventional cardiology. (Read more...)

April 27, 2009
Volcano Corporation Schedules First Quarter Conference Call, Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, today announced that it will report its operating results for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 on Tuesday, May 5. (Read more...)

April 21, 2009
CT Scans for Strokes
Today's Wall Sreet Journal discusses the controversy over the use of CT scans to diagnose and triage treatment for stroke victims. (Read more...)

April 18, 2009
Plavix and PPIs: Update
A reader writes in about Plavix and proton pump inhibitors to get the latest info -- there is some, and soon there will be more when the SCAI meets in Las Vegas next month. (Read more...)

April 17, 2009
Transradial Angioplasty at ACC.09
A summary of all studies concerning transradial access that were presented during the American College of Cardiology 58th Annual Scientific Session held March 29-31, 2009. The take-away message from these studies was that the radial approach is comparable in success rate to the femoral with significantly lower complications. Radial access also makes possible same-day discharge of patients after stenting. (Read more...)

April 17, 2009
Angioplasty from the Wrist: Interest is Growing But Lack of Training Limits Spread in U.S.
U.S. cardiologists who practice the radial approach have identified lack of training opportunities as a major roadblock to its proliferation. Yet at this year's ACC.09, one of the largest cardiology conferences in the U.S., exposure to studies involving the transradial approach was limited to six poster presentations and one 15-minute oral presentation. (Read more...)

April 8, 2009
Medtronic's Endeavor Stent Reduces Occlusion of Small Arterial Side Branches by 50%
A new study, published online before print in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, concludes that "Patients treated with ZES [Medtronic's Endeavor Zotarolimus Eluting Stent] were less likely to develop sidebranch occlusion during stent placement than patients treated with PES [Boston Scientific's Taxus Express Paclitaxel Eluting Stent]. (Read more...)

April 6, 2009
Cardiology Sites Taking Notice of the Radial Approach to PCI
Two polls on web sites for cardiology professionals are gauging the interest and popularity of the transradial (wrist) approach to angioplasty and stenting -- and the results are surprising, considering the low utilization of radial in the U.S. (Read more...)

April 3, 2009
Medtronic Launches Driver Sprint RX Coronary Stent System Worldwide
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced earlier this week that it has begun the international launch of its Driver Sprint RX Coronary Stent System, which received the CE (Conformité Européene) Mark in February 2009. The company plans to have its bare-metal stent on a rapid exchange platform commercially available in more than 100 countries worldwide. “The Driver stent system has always been very deliverable,” explained leading stent researcher Dr. C. Dubois of Leuven University Hospital in Belgium. “Now, the new Driver Sprint system makes it even more deliverable for the most challenging anatomy.” (Read more...)

March 30, 2009
Medtronic's Endeavor® Drug-Eluting Coronary Stent Approved in Japan
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced approval of its Endeavor drug-eluting coronary stent system by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), clearing the way for the highly anticipated launch of the product in the world’s second largest market for advanced medical technology. Medtronic plans to launch the Endeavor drug-eluting stent (DES) immediately following the authorization of reimbursement which is expected on May 1, making the Endeavor DES commercially available in every major market in the world. (Read more...)

March 29, 2009
Abbott's Market-Leading XIENCE V® Shows Increasing Clinical Advantages Over TAXUS® Express2™/TAXUS® Liberte™ Between Two and Three Years
Long-term data presented today from Abbott’s SPIRIT II clinical trial demonstrated that the clinical advantages of the XIENCE V® Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System continued to increase between two and three years compared to the TAXUS® Express2™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System / TAXUS® Liberte™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System (TAXUS). (Read more...)

March 29, 2009
ZEST: 3 Stents Go Head-to-Head-to-Head
The results of ZEST, a large scale randomized multi-center trial of all comers were presented this morning to the i2 Summit at ACC.09 by Dr. Seung-Jung Park of Asan Medical Center in South Korea. The goal of the trial was to evaluate paclitaxel- and sirolimus-eluting stents compared with zotarolimus-eluting stents in patients with coronary artery disease. (Read more...)

March 29, 2009
Small Trial for Innovative 'Healing' Stent Contradicts Findings from Larger Studies
Cardiologists anticipating positive results from a small head-to-head study comparing the novel Genous 'pro-healing' stent to a third generation bare metal chromium-cobalt stent were disappointed yesterday by less than favorable data from the 100-patient GENIUS-STEMI study. The MACE rate was 24% for the Genous vs. 10% for the bare metal stent. TLR was 14% vs. 4%. Not only were these rates very high, but they were far different from data that has been presented in the initial clinical trials for the Genous, as well as a very large 5,000-patient observational study, called the e-Healing Registry. (Read more...)

March 29, 2009
Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) Announces Third Annual Young Investigator Awards
The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), the leading international professional society devoted to cardiovascular computed tomography (CT), is now accepting submissions for the third annual Young Investigator Awards. Sponsored by Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., the unrestricted educational grant will be awarded to two residents or fellows in either radiology or cardiology for their patient care research in the categories of technical and clinical advancement of cardiovascular CT. The deadline for submissions is April 6, 2009 (Read more...)

March 28, 2009
Stents: Same Outcomes, Less Money Than Surgery for Many Heart Patients
For many patients with triple-vessel or left main disease, drug-eluting stents provide similar outcomes to bypass surgery -- and for less money, according to data from the SYNTAX trial, presented this morning to the i2 Summit at the American College of Cardiology's 58th annual scientific session. (Read more...)

March 27, 2009
Medtronic Announces ACC 2009 Presentations
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced highlights of clinical data presentations scheduled for the 2009 American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting that feature the company’s cardiovascular innovations, including the Endeavor Drug-Eluting Stent (DES) and the Export Aspiration Catheter. ACC.09 takes place in Orlando March 28–31 at the Orange County Convention Center. (Read more...)

March 27, 2009
Volcano Announces Schedule of Events at the ACC 2009, Integration into Indec and Medis Software Platforms
Joe Burnett, Vice President of Marketing at Volcano commented, "Three years ago, you could flip through the ACC program and see a couple of presentations on intravascular assessment using IVUS or FFR. This year, there are more than 50 presentations, case reviews and abstracts focused on FFR, IVUS, OCT, Forward-Looking IVUS, and VH® IVUS plaque composition. Word is getting out that more precise guidance during PCI is important, and the sheer number of talks focused on higher resolution tools, highlight the increased demand for access to these technologies. (Read more...)

March 26, 2009
Boston Scientific Announces ACC 2009 Schedule
Boston Scientific Corporation today announced the schedule of the Company's major events and news announcements at the 58th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology / i2 Summit, which runs from March 28-31 in Orlando, Florida. (Read more...)

March 26, 2009
ACC 2009 Sessions on Intravascular Imaging and Functional Measurement
The upcoming American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions, being held in Orlando, Florida from March 28-31 is featuring more than 50 presentations, case reviews and abstracts focused on intravascular imaging and functional measurement modalities, such as Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR), Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), as well as newer technologies, like Forward-Looking IVUS and VH plaque composition. (Read more...)

March 26, 2009
Cordis Celebrates 50 Years of Transforming Cardiovascular Care
As cardiologists are arriving in Orlando for the beginning of this weekend's 58th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology, just a few hours away, Cordis Corporation will be celebrating its 50th anniversary as a manufacturer of innovative medical devices. (Read more...)

March 24, 2009
Abbott Moves Forward with Bioabsorbable Stent
Following recent publication of the two-year results of the ABSORB clinical trial of its novel bioabsorbable drug-eluting stent, Abbott Vascular today announced the start of the next phase of the trial, set to enroll 80 additional patients. Article contains an exclusive video of Dr. Charles Simonton, Chief Medical Officer for Abbott Vascular. (Read more...)

March 24, 2009
Is The Scaffolding Coming Down?
From the Editor's Blog -- Today's good news about Abbott's bioabsorbable stent brings the following analogy to mind: scaffolding. Unfortunately scaffolding inside the artery, unlike its building construction counterpart, cannot be removed once its job is done. (Read more...)

March 20, 2009
XTENT's Customizable Drug-Eluting Stent Gets European CE Mark Approval
Hopefully, for the innovative stent manufactured by XTENT, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTNT), yesterday's European approval has not come too late. On Thursday, the company announced that it has received CE Mark approval for its CUSTOM NX drug-eluting stent (DES) System. (Read more...)

March 11, 2009
Broadcasting Live Cases
Our video about the live demonstration course in interventional cardiology was shown at last week's CRT 2009 meeting. (Read more...)

March 10, 2009
Bent Out of SHAPE
Did the American Heart Association give its support to a Texas bill which would put the SHAPE Task Force recommendations into law regarding Coronary Artery Calcium screening...or not? (Read more...)

March 9, 2009
Interview with James K. Min, MD, FACC
The "Advances in Imaging" interview series presents discussions with researchers and leading specialists in the field of coronary imaging. This current discussion is with Dr. James K. Min, Director of Cardiac CT labs at Weill-Cornell Medical College at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital about the role of CT vis-a-vis nuclear stress testing, radiation dosage from Cardiac CT and more. (Read more...)

February 28, 2009
Medtronic Acquires Non-Surgical Aortic Valve Technologies
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced this week that it is acquiring two privately held companies that have been in the forefront of development for transcatheter aortic valves. The move, estimated at slightly more than $1 billion, positions Medtronic to move forward with future development and clinical trials of these non-surgical approaches to aortic valve replacement, a field currently occupied by Edwards LifeSciences. (Read more...)

February 20, 2009
Volcano Corporation Announces Webcast of February 25th Analyst Day
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC) will hold its 2009 Analyst Day on Wednesday, February 25, at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City. The webcast will begin at 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time (7 a.m., Pacific Standard Time) and conclude at 2 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (11 a.m., Pacific Standard Time). (Read more...)

February 17, 2009
Medtronic Reports Third Quarter Revenue of $3.5 Billion
The company reported third quarter revenue of $3.494 billion, a three percent increase over third quarter revenue reported in fiscal year 2008 or a six percent increase after adjusting for an unfavorable $110 million foreign exchange impact. (Read more...)

February 17, 2009
Volcano Reports Full Year Revenues Increase 31 Percent
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, today reported that revenues for the full year 2008 increased 31 percent over full year 2007 and that revenues for the fourth quarter of 2008 increased 23 percent over revenues in the fourth quarter of 2007. (Read more...)

February 17, 2009
Medpedia -- OMG!!!
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: As a rough estimate, it would seem that much of the information about interventional medicine on Medpedia is five years old. If this is any indication of the accuracy of the rest of Medpedia, I would definitely advise patients to go elsewhere. I would not call it Web 2.0 -- rather Web minus 1.25. (Read more...)

February 12, 2009
Volcano CEO to Present at Roth Capital Partners Conference; Webcast Announced
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, said today that it will be participating in the Roth Capital Partners 21st Annual Growth Stock Conference on Wednesday, February 18. (Read more...)

February 11, 2009
Taking Cost-Effectiveness to Heart
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Can government decide which therapies are effective and cost-effective? For all patients? What about the concept of personalized medicine? (Read more...)

February 6, 2009
Vote for Radial!
This week's poll on theheart.org is about the transradial (wrist) approach to catheterization and angioplasty. The question is "Should radial access become the default choice for PCI?" (Read more...)

February 6, 2009
Volcano Corporation Schedules Fourth Quarter Conference Call, Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, today announced that it will report is operating results for the fourth quarter and all of fiscal 2008 on Tuesday, February 17. (Read more...)

February 5, 2009
CT Heart Scans, Radiation and the Media
Commentary from the Editor's Blog: Many headlines have been generated by a recent study in JAMA -- headlines proclaiming the high radiation doses from Cardiac CT scans. But the real news is how low some of the doses were, and that much lower radiation levels are achievable by all centers currently doing multislice computed tomography. (Read more...)

February 4, 2009
CT Scans of the Heart Can Be Done with Low Radiation Dose
Physicians are able to perform CT scans of the heart with minimal radiation exposure, according to a study published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). However, this new study shows wide variation in centers and calls for increased education and training to achieve optimum results. (Read more...)

January 30, 2009
Wrist Angioplasty Gaining Acceptance in U.S.
Over the past year, the transradial approach, doing angioplasty and inserting coronary stents using the wrist as the access site, has gotten significant attention. Peer-reviewed studies and presentations at meetings have consistently shown decreased bleeding complications, increased patient comfort and safety, and lower cost. (Read more...)

January 28, 2009
Circulation Publishes Pivotal Two-Year Results On XIENCE V™ Drug Eluting Stent
Data published online today in Circulation from the SPIRIT III U.S. pivotal trial evaluating the XIENCE V™ Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System demonstrated that Abbott's market-leading XIENCE V outperforms the TAXUS® Express˛™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System (TAXUS) in reducing major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at two years. (Read more...)

January 28, 2009
TAXUS® Liberte® Drug-Eluting Stent System Approved in Japan
Japan has now approved its first second-generation drug-eluting stent, and that honor goes to Boston Scientific's TAXUS Liberte Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System. The company announced today that it has received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) to market the stent. (Read more...)

January 28, 2009
Plavix Safety Update
The Editor's Blog provides a link to the joint statement by the American College of Cardiology Foundation, American Heart Association and the American College of Gastroenterology, regarding the safety of Plavix (clopidogrel) when used in conjunction with NSAIDs and the issue of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) such as Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, Nexium, etc. (Read more...)

January 26, 2009
Plavix, Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix -- Do I Hear a Nexium?
Commentary from the Editor's Blog on the FDA announcment today that it is reviewing the safety of Plavix (clopidogrel) when used with Proton Pump Inhibitors. (Read more...)

January 25, 2009
Medtronic Seeks Runners -- Stents Included
Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) recently announced that it is looking for runners from around the world who have benefited from medical technology to participate in the company's 4th Annual Medtronic Global Heroes program. Stent patients are included. The deadline for entry is March 31, 2009. (Read more...)

January 25, 2009
Study: CT Scans and Stents Successful in Treating Strokes
Emergency use of CT scans and stents may be able to treat and significantly reduce the symptoms of a stroke. That is the conclusion of a small 16-patient study presented this week by Dr. L. Nelson "Nick" Hopkins of the University at Buffalo, SUNY. The data, presented at the 21st Annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET), showed that stents were able to open blocked brain arteries in all of the patients, and that 11 patients (69 percent) had significant improvement in their stroke symptoms. (Read more...)

January 23, 2009
Economy Claims Innovative Xtent
In an announcement today, Xtent Inc. (NASDAQ: XTNT) located in Menlo Park, California, stated that it is engaging the services of an investment bank to help the company pursue strategic alternatives, possible sale of some or all of the company's assets, or other type of acquisition. And of it 121 employees, all but nine have received termination notices, effective March 23. (Read more...)

January 23, 2009
EkoSonic™ Ultrasound Delivery Reduces Dose of Clot-Busting Drugs and May Lessen Risk of Bleeding in Peripheral Thrombolysis
An innovative catheter-based ultrasound system has been shown to reduce the need for so-called clot-dissolving drugs by 50%. Since a well-known side-effect of such drugs is bleeding, a technology that reduces the amount of drug needed may have significant beneficial impact on clinical outcomes. Once the clot is dissolved, the patient can then be treated with angioplasty, stents or medical therapy. (Read more...)

January 21, 2009
XIENCE V™ Stent Takes the Lead
In sharp contrast to the current gloomy picture in the healthcare sector, Abbott reported this morning that its 4th quarter 2008 global sales rose 10.1% over 2007, and that the company's XIENCE V drug-eluting stent was a significant contributor to the bottom line. (Read more...)

January 20, 2009
Volcano Highlights Commitment, Market Acceptance of FFR Product Line
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, today commented on the increased demand for their FFR and IVUS capable consoles, as well as their FFR pressure guide wires. Since announcement of the FAME study results at the TCT in October, the FFR option for Volcano's s5i integrated imaging console was included in more than 90% of all new orders. (Read more...)

January 19, 2009
When Less is More: Stents, That Is
So many news reports about the recent FAME study in the New England Journal of Medicine drive home a message that is not exactly correct. The "Stents May Be Overused" headline is misleading. And here's why. (Read more...)

January 19, 2009
Transradial Access from the Wrist is Safer, Easier For Many Patients Undergoing Angioplasty or Stenting of Blocked Heart Arteries
Every year, about one million Americans opt for angioplasty over bypass surgery to open their blocked arteries. New data suggests that beginning the angioplasty procedure by entering through the wrist, rather than through the groin, will make it safer and easier on patients. (Read more...)

January 17, 2009
FAME: "Back to the Future"
The leading story about stents this past week has been the publication of the FAME study and how a new St. Jude Medical device that measures blood pressures inside the artery can reduce the number of unnecessary angioplasty and stent procedures. Well...it's not a new device; it's definitely not a new concept; and St. Jude doesn't exactly get the credit for it either, since their chief role was to acquire the company that created the product. But it is an important study! (Read more...)

January 15, 2009
Better Outcomes for Stents When Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is Used
One-third fewer stents were used in the FFR group and the difference in outcomes at one year were significant: the FFR group showed a 28% lower incidence of major adverse cardiac events (repeat procedure to open the artery, heart attack or death) -- 18.3% vs. 13.2%. The implication in these results is that placing stents in lesions that are not responsible for ischemia is not only not necessary, but may cause worse outcomes. (Read more...)

January 15, 2009
Interview with Nico H. J. Pijls, MD, PhD
Angioplasty.Org conducts an exclusive interview with Dr. Nico Pijls, co-principal investigator of the FAME study (Fractional Flow Reserve vs. Angiography for Multivessel Evaluation) published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study concludes that "Routine measurement of FFR in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease who are undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents significantly reduces the rate of the composite end point of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization at 1 year." (Read more...)

January 13, 2009
Dreadlines About Stents Revisited
How can a mere article in the "newspaper of record" be dangerous? Is the pen mightier than the catheter? Is there such a thing as a "killer journalist"? (Read more...)

January 13, 2009
Medtronic Seeking Long-Distance Runners Who Benefit From Medical Technology
Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) announced today it is recruiting runners from around the world who benefit from medical technology to participate in the fourth annual Medtronic Global Heroes program. Up to 25 runners will be selected to receive a paid entry for themselves and a guest to the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or the Medtronic TC 10 Mile and a travel package. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2009. (Read more...)

January 12, 2009
Radial Access Session to be Featured at ISET 2009
The 21st annual ISET meeting in Florida, being held January 18-22, 2009, is featuring a special concurrent session on Monday, January 19 from 4:30-6:00pm. Titled "Radial Access Techniques and Applications", Dr. Ramon Quesada of Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute in Miami will moderate a panel with Jeffrey J. Popma, MD of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston and Ron Caputo, MD of St. Joseph's Hospital Cardiology Associates in Syracuse, New York. (Read more...)

January 12, 2009
Medtronic to Acquire Ablation Frontiers for $225 Million
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) and privately held Ablation Frontiers, Inc., today announced that the two companies have entered into an agreement whereby Medtronic will acquire Ablation Frontiers for an initial payment of $225 million plus potential additional payments contingent upon achievement of certain clinical milestones. (Read more...)

January 7, 2009
Volcano Announces Closing of Axsun Technologies Acquisition
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, said today that it has closed its previously announced acquisition of Axsun Technologies, Inc. (Read more...)

January 6, 2009
Volcano Corporation Presentation at J.P. Morgan Conference to be Webcast
Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, said today that it will be participating in the 27th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 14. (Read more...)

January 5, 2009
Leading Interventional Cardiologists Discuss the Advantages of Transradial Access
Angioplasty.Org is making available a one-hour online symposium, titled "Transradial Access: The Advantages to You, Your Patient and Hospital", with a panel of four leading interventional cardiologists: Dr. Jeffrey Popma, Dr. Ramon Quesada, Dr. Ron Caputo and Dr. Shigeru Saito. The original symposium was held during the 2008 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting on October 16 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington DC and is being presented through a partnership of Angioplasty.Org, TCTMD.com and Terumo Medical Corporation. (Read more...)

January 1, 2009
New England Journal Criticizes CBS News on Transradial Angioplasty Report
From the Editor's Blog: I approached Susan Dentzer's article, "Communicating Medical News - Pitfalls of Health Care Journalism", published in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, with great interest. I unfortunately was a bit disappointed, specifically with her criticism of a September 24, 2008 CBS News segment about transradial angioplasty. (Read more...)