December 31, 2003
Not a Lean Year for Health News
(Scroll down article) to read, "...the medical community can take some comfort from continuing progress against the U.S.'s No. 1 killer -- heart disease. And researchers learned again this year that often the simplest answers are the best ones. Angioplasty...trumps clot-busting drugs for those suffering a heart attack...."
(source: Tim Smart, HealthDay)

December 16, 2003
Study Links Pollution to Heart Disease
Air pollution in U.S. cities is twice as likely to cause death from heart disease as respiratory ailments, say researchers in the latest issue of Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Association
(source: Bobby Ross Jr., Associated Press)

December 13, 2003
Hospital's Cath Lab: Care By Design
This story tells the value of having a cath lab in a small community in Rhode Island.
(source: Gloria Russell, The Westerly Sun)

December 12, 2003
Ski coach survives surprise heart attack
Interesting human interest story about how a high school ski coach in Little Falls, Minnesota experienced a heart attack on the trail and still got himself to the cath lab where an angioplasty was performed. Ten days later, he's back at work.
(source: Star Tribune)

December 11, 2003
Proposed cath-lab rules have providers worried; State considers allowing angioplasty without heart surgeons on location
Report from Washington State on the controversy over providing access to angioplasty in rural areas without on-site surgical backup.
(source: Journal of Business, Spokane)

December 10, 2003
Emergency cardiac monitoring strategy tested in ambulances
Under a UCSF-designed program, all ambulances in Santa Cruz County now are equipped with sophisticated cardiac monitors that can send vital data directly by cell phone to the emergency department of the receiving hospital. The story is told of a heart-attack victim who collapsed on the road, dialed 911 and wound up having his artery cleared via angioplasty only 48 minutes after arriving at the hospital (the cath lab was prepped as he was being transported).
(source: University of California - San Francisco)

December 1, 2003
'They wash the cholesterol out of my blood'
From the U.K., a report on a lipid-lowering procedure, called LDL Apheresis, which is similar to dialysis and in certain cases may offer hope to those with high cholesterol that doesn't respond to other treatments
(source: BBC News)

November 29, 2003
Discovery of heart attack gene may help diagnose risk within families
An extended family living in the American mid-west state of Iowa has helped scientists to find the first gene that unequivocally causes heart attacks in late middle-age. Eric Topol, MD of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio stated, "This stands out because of its potential impact. It's a great first step towards understanding the basis of coronary artery disease at its genetic roots."
(source: Steve Connor, Independent News UK)

November 25, 2003
Harvard Health Letter Names Top Ten Health Stories of 2003
Coming in at #3: "Angioplasty is the best treatment for heart attacks: Two studies this year have helped to establish angioplasty as the preferred treatment for heart attack."
(source: Harvard Health Letter)

November 24, 2003
Impact of Renal Insufficiency in Patients Undergoing Primary Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Infarction
A multi-center study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation states that the "importance of renal insufficiency (RI) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been well characterized and is associated with a markedly increased risk of mortality, as well as bleeding and restenosis. Novel approaches are needed to improve the otherwise poor prognosis of patients with RI and AMI."
(source: Circulation)

November 23, 2003
The new plaque busters
A round-up of several studies involving new drugs that were presented at this year's American Heart Association session and what they are telling doctors about the nature of coronary artery disease. Read more in depth articles about these studies below.
(source: Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY)

November 17, 2003
Aspirin-resistance Linked to Increased Risk for Adverse Outcomes in Routine Stenting Procedure
Researchers found that out of 136 patients scheduled for coronary stent procedure, nearly 20 percent were aspirin-resistant and that these patients had an increased risk of adverse outcomes in spite of being pre-treated with both Aspirin and Plavix.
(source: ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory)

November 14, 2003
Commissioner undergoes angioplasty to clear blockage
Massachusetts Education Commissioner David Driscoll underwent angioplasty Thursday night to remove a blockage from a main artery in his heart, and was expected to spend the weekend recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital.
(source: Boston Globe)

November 13, 2003
Study of Two Cholesterol Drugs Finds One Halts Heart Disease
More in-depth story about the advantages offered by Lipitor over Pravachol and how Steven Nissen, MD of the Cleveland Clinic uses intravascular ultrasound to measure the arterial plaque. However, another article from HealthDayNews, titled "Doctors Divided Over Cholesterol Drugs Study", reveals some disagreement in the medical profession about the significance of the results
(source: Gina Kolata, New York Times -- free registration required by NYT / Amanda Gardner, HealthDayNews)

November 12, 2003
Drugs That Stop Plaque
A good round-up of the various studies and presentations made at this year's American Heart Association meeting about pharmaceuticals and their effects on plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, and even plaque reversal. The articles starts with the Cleveland Clinic study that showed Lipitor superior to Pravachol and goes on to other drugs.
(source: Matthew Herper, Forbes.com)

November 12, 2003
Emergency Surgery Critical After Failed Angioplasty
An estimated one in four patients are at increased risk of death or harm if emergency heart surgery is delayed after they have failed angioplasty. A Canadian study looked at over 6,000 angioplasties performed, 45 of which required emergency bypass surgery to fix a problem, a rate of 0.7% -- of these 11 patients would have been harmed if surgery had been delayed.
(source: HealthDayNews)

November 12, 2003
Antiplatelet Drug Found to Reduce Risk of Recurrent Heart Attacks and Stroke Is Extremely Cost-Effective
The antiplatelet medicine clopidogrel is not only effective in reducing the risk of recurrent heart attack and stroke, it is also extremely cost-effective, according to data presented today by researchers from Emory University at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions.
(source: Emory Heart Center)

November 11, 2003
Drug Proven to Benefit Heart Attack Victims Vastly Underused
A study of the CRUSADE registry shows almost two out of three patients did not receive a class of clot-inhibiting drugs, known as glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors, within the first 24 hours of heart attack symptoms, despite the fact that clinical trials that have proven that the drugs save lives. The study also points out that other drugs, as well as emergency angioplasty, are underutilized.
(source: Duke University Medical Center)

November 11, 2003
Michigan Angioplasty Project Cuts Problems and Deaths
A multi-hospital effort to improve angioplasty care in Michigan has increased use of helpful drugs, cut deaths and complications, and yielded important data that can aid angioplasty care everywhere.
(source: University of Michigan Health System)

November 11, 2003
Growth factor grows stem cells that help heal hearts
A very small study (lead author: Chris A. Glover MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Heart Institute in Ontario) has shown positive results with a drug -- granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) -- that stimulates bone marrow to produce stem cells helped regenerate damaged heart muscle
(source: American Heart Association)

November 11, 2003
Stents open arteries, but keep costs down
A report on the CADILLAC study (Controlled Abciximab and Device Investigation to Lower Late Angioplasty Complications) appearing in today's Circulation Rapid Access, shows that stents are not only more effective at keeping arteries open, but also cost-effective as well. More in the study also speaks to the role of abciximab in catheter interventions and the results as to whether it is cost-effective were not as straight-forward as the balloon angioplasty/stent comparison.
(source: American Heart Association)

November 10, 2003
Five-Year Data Presented at AHA Demonstrates Significant Patient Benefits of CardioGenesis TMR Over Drug Therapy
The study results showed that patients randomized to Holmium:YAG TMR had a significantly improved survival rate, 65 percent at five years, than those randomized to maximum medical management, 52 percent. The overwhelming majority of patients treated with TMR (88 percent) continued to experience significant improvement in angina pain five years after their original TMR treatment. The conclusions of this study differ from those in a recent Journal of the ACC, also reported in the New York Times.
(source: CardioGenesis Corporation)

November 10, 2003
Heal thyself: Patients' bone marrow cells restore failing hearts
Follow-up from a study by Bodo E. Strauer, M.D., professor of medicine at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany, patients who received stem cell therapy from their own bone marrow showed improvement in heart function. The stem cells were delivered via catheter during balloon angioplasty and stenting. Read another article about this study from Reuters.
(source: American Heart Association / Reuters)

November 9, 2003
U-M study reveals major differences between women and men in cardiovascular disease traits and treatment
A poster presentation from the current American Heart Association annual meeting discusses the GRACE study (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) and shows that coronary artery disease (CAD) manifests itself somewhat differently in men and women which may account for the fact that CAD in women tends to be treated less aggressively. Sujoya Dey, M.D., one of the study's authors, recommends to women, “Believe yourself and your symptoms, and bring them to the attention of your physician to figure out how to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask what else they could be doing for you.” (For help on communicating with your doctor, read the article "You and Your Physician" in our PatientCenter.)
(source: University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center)

November 9, 2003
CREST study finds cilostazol reduces restenosis by almost 40 percent
A new and highly effective weapon in the war on heart disease could be on the horizon, according to results of the "Cilostazol for RESTenosis" (CREST) study presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions. The drug therapy consists of two pills a day and, in the words of John S. Douglas Jr., MD, professor of medicine and Director of Interventional Cardiology at Emory University, "...showed that this beneficial effect occurred in patients with diabetes and small blood vessels, two important subgroups that are inherently more difficult to treat."
(source: Emory Heart Center )

November 9, 2003
One-Third of Heart Failure Patients Don't Receive Life-Saving Therapies
The ADHERE study (Acute Decompensated Heart failurE national REgistry) presented at the AHA's Scientific Sessions 2003, concludes that a third of heart failure patients who are ideal candidates for ACE-inhibitors are not given prescriptions for them, almost three-quarters are not given discharge instructions (about follow-up appointments, medications, etc.) and 69% are not counseled on how to stop smoking.
(source: American Heart Association)

November 6, 2003
Heart Laser Treatment Used Mostly on Patients Who Don't Meet the Federal Criteria
Although this article is about a surgical procedure, called TMR (TransMyocardial Revascularization) a similar catheter-based version exists, called PMR (Percutaneous Myocardial Revascularization) which in some cardiologists' opinion holds promise for patients who cannot benefit from surgery or angioplasty. PMR was not approved by the FDA in July 2001; the company that makes the laser device is hoping to resubmit it for approval in the near future. The article reports on the "off label" use of the surgical procedure and its increased mortality. The abstract of the study it is based on can be found here.
(source: Gina Kolata, New York Times / Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

November 5, 2003
Cholesterol Study Offers Hope for a Bold Therapy
An extensive article (free registration with NY Times required) on this new research study, being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. You can also read the abstract of the study, titled "Effect of Recombinant ApoA-I Milano on Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes". While the study was done on a small group, the extremely promising results make a more extensive clinical trial a necessity. Some have characterized the new drug as "Drano" for the arteries.
(source: Gina Kolata, New York Times / Journal of the American Medical Association / Toronto Star)

November 5, 2003
Synthetic 'Good' Cholesterol Helps Clear Arteries: Small Study Indicates the Possibility That Drug Therapy Could Reverse Heart Disease
Another article on the "hot" topic of the new cholesterol discovery that may yield a new treatment for coronary artery disease
(source: Rob Stein, Washington Post)

November 4, 2003
Unusual fatigue may be warning symptom of heart attack in women
About 95% of women reported having new or different symptoms more than a month before their heart attacks that resolved after their heart attacks. This led them, in retrospect, to believe that these symptoms were related to the subsequent heart attack. The most common early symptoms were: unusual fatigue — 70%; sleep disturbance — 48%; shortness of breath — 42%; indigestion — 39% and anxiety — 35%.
(source: American Heart Association)

November 4, 2003
Angioplasty: it could be a lifesaver, but it’s not a local option
A story from Gilroy, a small town in California, and their hospital's quandry about treating heart attacks.
(source: Lori Stuenkel, Gilroy Dispatch)

November 2, 2003
Kentucky Governor Patton Has Two Stents Implanted - Released to Attend Football Game Same Night
Governor had elevated heart rate after exercising and was admitted for evaluation, and then catheterization. Read another article about him back at work.
(source: WLKY, Louisville / Cincinnati Enquirer)

October 29, 2003
Halting Aspirin Therapy May Harm Heart Patients
A French study of 1,236 coronary patients has concluded that stopping aspiring therapy (used for blood-thinning) even on a doctor's orders (patients are often advised to stop taking aspirin prior to surgery or dental work) can be hazardous. 10% of the patients in the study were hospitalized within a week after stopping aspirin.
(source: Ed Edelson, HealthdayNews)

October 26, 2003
Generous Medicare Payments Spur Specialty Hospital Boom
An article from the Business Section of today's NY Times examines the economics of Medicare and the building of new "heart centers". (Note: free registration with NY Times is required.)
(source: Reed Abelson, New York Times)

October 24, 2003
More Than One Stent at a Time Safe After All
Simultaneous stenting of coronary, carotid and several other arteries with significant atherosclerosis may save money and help patients avoid having to undergo multiple stenting procedures, according to an Austrian study in the November issue of "Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions."
(source: HealthDayNews)

October 23, 2003
Blood test can warn of heart attack
A new blood test, identified by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, has been found to be highly predictive of heart attacks in patient who have chest pain. In the words of Richard Stein of the Weill Cornell School of Medicine in New York, "It's the first simple blood test that will allow us to take a patient who comes into the hospital with chest pain and say whether he's in the early stages of a heart attack or if he's at risk of having a heart attack in 30 to 60 days." You can also read the abstract of the study, "Prognostic Value of Myeloperoxidase in Patients with Chest Pain" in the New England Hournal of Medicine.
(source: Steve Sternberg, USA Today / Cleveland Clinic / New England Journal of Medicine)

October 21, 2003
Volcano Therapeutics, Inc. Announces the Demonstration of its Virtual Histology™ Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Technology During Live Case Demonstrations at CCT 2003 on October 21, 22, and 23
Company press release about its latest use of its device during live case demonstrations in Kobe, Japan.
(source: Volcano Therapeutics, Inc.)

October 20, 2003
Study tests stents vs. surgery for clogged carotids
Local perspective on the CREST (Carotid Revascularization: Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial) study currently being done at over 60 hospital centers to determine the effectiveness and safety of carotid stenting.
(source: Kristi L. Nelson)

October 19, 2003
Maryland hospital debate grows over greater access to angioplasty; Health panel to decide which can offer procedure
A good article on the debate over performing angioplasty without surgical backup.
(source: M. William Salganik, The Baltimore Sun)

October 14, 2003
Quick fix -- Technique allows hospitals and doctors to treat heart attacks faster
Yet another local story (appearing in the Times Daily of Northwest Alabama) about bringing a heart attack victim not to the closest hospital, but to one that practices emergency angioplasty.
(source: Daniel Q. Haney, Associated Press Medical Editor)

October 13, 2003
Stem Cell Therapy Helps Heal Damaged Heart -- Healthy tissue created after heart attack
Discusses the important work being done by Dr. Andreas M. Zeiher, chairman of University of Frankfurt's department of medicine in the field of stem cell treatment.
(source: Ed Edelson, HealthDayNews)

October 13, 2003
Strong Medicine: The Uncut Version
Interventional cardiologists versus surgeons -- the rise of low-invasion techniques—and the doctors who specialize in them—has made the competition for surgical patients, well, cutthroat.
(source: Joanna Kaufman, New York Magazine)

October 13, 2003
Heart attack strategy changes
Local perspective from Everett, Washington on how the treatment of heart attacks has changed in terms of transporting patients to hospitals that perform angioplasty, instead of the nearest one.
(source: Sharon Salyer , Daily Herald)

October 12, 2003
Angioplasty: a look at local efforts
Fewer and fewer patients in the area are likely to receive thrombolytic therapy -- the use of clot-dissolving drugs -- in the case of a heart attack.
(source: Brian Bardwell , Cleveland Morning Journal )

October 11, 2003
Both Topeka hospitals do angioplasty procedure -- Method saves lives
Another local story about use of angioplasty in the treatment of heart attack and the hospitals where it is offered.
(source: Morgan Chilson and Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-Journal)

October 10, 2003
The best treatment most heart victims aren't getting; Drugs more likely to be used over angioplasty procedure
A very interesting article on why in many places heart attack patients are not being offered angioplasty. In the article, Dr. Joseph Carrozza, chief of interventional cardiology at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, states: "There are a lot of strong community hospitals that aren't offering primary angioplasty and would line up all their politicians against an effort to have heart attacks taken away from their hospitals."
(source: CNN)

October 10, 2003
CardioGenesis Announces Update on FDA Review of Percutaneous Myocardial Revascularization (PMR) System
Turned down for FDA approval in 2001, the company (originally Eclipse Surgical) is hoping for another chance at approving its catheter-based version of TMR (TransMyocardial Revascularization).
(source: CardioGenesis Corporation)

October 8, 2003
Guidant Initiates Voluntary Recall of 3.0 mm-Diameter MULTI-LINK VISION Coronary Stent System
The company has initiated a voluntary recall of a limited number of 3.0mm stents that did not meet manufacturing specifications.
(source: Guidant Corporation)

October 8, 2003
SPOTLIGHT -- Eric Williams: Designer with heart; Business helps save lives with plastic tubes
Interesting human interest article about a stent designer in the SF Bay Area, one of the founders of Advanced Stent Technologies.
(source: Vanessa Hua, San Francisco Chronicle)

October 7, 2003
Percutaneous coronary intervention versus fibrinolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction: is timing (almost) everything?
This abstract of a study in the October 1 JACC finds that the benefits of angioplasty in treatment of heart attack is greatest within the first hour. Full text of the article is available to JACC subscribers, or you can read an article about the same study from Reuters Health.
(source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology / Reuters Health)

October 5, 2003
Angioplasty stops heart attacks; treatment works better than drugs
A local view from Brevard County in Florida of the use of angioplasty in the treatment of heart attacks (for more information, read our feature topic on this subject)..
(source: Florida Today)

October 5, 2003
Angioplasty is better treatment for heart attacks
A good update on the current state of angioplasty in the treatment of acute MI (heart attack).
(source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

October 4, 2003
McBride Undergoes Angioplasty
Former gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride, who lost to Gov. Jeb Bush in November's election, underwent an angioplasty to open a closed coronary artery that caused him to collapse this week, his family said in a statement Friday.
(source: Tampa Tribune)

October 3, 2003
Angioplasty Trumps Clot Drugs for Heart Attack Patients -- But only if additional time delay is less than an hour
Another overview of the role of angioplasty in treatment of heart attack.
(source: Amanda Gardner, HealthDay News)

October 2, 2003
FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Non-Approval of Spectranetics Laser Technology To Treat Critical Limb Ischemia
By a vote of 9-1, the panel recommended non-approval of Spectranetics laser angioplasty device for use in the legs. The company states that it will continue to pursue FDA approval. Its Excimer Laser Catheter has been approved since 1993 for use in the heart.
(source: Spectranetics Corporation)

October 1, 2003
Seven-year outcome in the RITA-2 trial: coronary angioplasty versus medical therapy
The results of this study comparing angioplasty to medical (drug) treatment shows no significant difference in the two therapies with regard to risk of death or repeat heart attack (in patients considered suitable for either therapy) -- however symptoms of angina are controlled better by angioplasty.
(source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

October 1, 2003
Effect of successful late reperfusion by primary coronary angioplasty on mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction
This Japanese study suggests benefits to patients treated with angioplasty even if reperfusion (opening up vessels) is performed 12-24 hours after onset of heart attack.
(source: American Journal of Cardiology)

October 1, 2003
Evaluation of Prolonged Antithrombotic Pretreatment ("Cooling-Off" Strategy) Before Intervention in Patients With Unstable Coronary Syndromes
Conclusion of this study is that delaying interventional therapy (angioplasty) by "pretreating" heart attack patients with clot-busting drugs does not improve outcomes and that the goal should be early revascularization in the cath lab.
(source: Current Journal Review, American College of Cardiology)

October 1, 2003
Time essential for angioplasty U-M study says procedure still preferable to clot-busting drugs but must be done quickly
Adding to the controversy over how best to treat heart attacks, this article reports on a study by the University of Michigan that angioplasty needs to be done within an hour to have an effect more beneficial than clot-busting drugs.
(source: Jo Mathis, Ann Arbor News)

September 26, 2003
Heart Disease is the Most Serious Health Threat for Women Globally
WHO publishes results of largest-ever global collaboration on heart disease, highlighting risk for women
Sunday, September 28 is "World Heart Day“ -- these two press releases are about the impact of cardiovascular disease on women worldwide. The world Heart Foundation states that 18 times more women die from heart disease and stroke than from breast cancer. And Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus, WHO Assistant Director-General, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health says, "Although most women fear cancer, particularly breast cancer, they do not make the same efforts to safeguard themselves from heart disease, which is eminently preventable. We must strive to make women aware that to keep their hearts healthy, they need to eat smart, kick smoking and move for health.”
(source: World Health Foundation (WHO) / World Heart Foundation)

September 25, 2003
Boston Scientific Manufacturing Facility Named Best Plant By Industry Week Magazine
Commenting on being named one of the 10 best plants in North America by Industry Week magazine, President and CEO Jim Tobin stated, "This is national recognition for our ongoing efforts to create a world- class manufacturing environment at Boston Scientific.... The award is further evidence that we are making solid progress toward our goal of increasing productivity and enhancing innovation." Click here to read the actual report in Industry Week.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation / Industry Week)

September 19, 2003
Abbott Announces 30-Day Results of Clinical Trial For Carotid Artery Stent and Filter System
The company announced the preliminary results from its SECuRITY trial, a registry of high-risk patients utilizing the MedNova EmboShield® bare-wire filter and MedNova Xact® self-expanding carotid stent system. The trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the filter-stent combination as a minimally invasive option for treating carotid artery disease in patients considered at high risk for surgery.
(source: Abbott Laboratories)

September 18, 2003
Guidant Announces Additional Findings of Key Study In Emerging Field of Heart Attack Prevention
This company press release reports on a new imaging technology, optical coherence tomography (OCT), which was used to examine highly detailed images of complex coronary lesions in patients with coronary artery disease.vulnerable. The study showed correlation between lipid-rich plaques and heart attacks -- in short: not all plaques are created equal -- some are more dangerous than others.
(source: Guidant Corporation)

September 16, 2003
Bypass surgery may relieve chest pain better than angioplasty plus stent
Data from the Stent or Surgery trial, the first in which patients were randomized for either bypass surgery or angioplasty to study longer term effects on relief of angina, shows that while both procedures were highly successful, surprisingly the surgically treated patients showed 2 or 3 points greater improvement in chest pain relief and quality of life. One of the study's authors states, “Since there were substantial improvements in chest pain and quality of life in both groups, the findings should be used more as a guide to treating patients with angina rather than viewed as an endorsement of one procedure over another.”
(source: American Heart Association)

August 31, 2003
Study indicates blood pressure drug should be considered even for patients with mild coronary disease
At the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) the EUROPA study was presented, showing that coronary heart disease patients who had been given the ACE inhibitor perindopril fared at least 20% better than the control group. The study recommends that this therapy be widely considered for all patients, even those with only moderate risk.
(source: Emma Ross, AP Medical Writer)

August 27, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces FDA Approval of the EPT-1000 XP™ Cardiac Ablation System for the Treatment of Atrial Flutter
It has been estimated that there are more than 200,000 new patients diagnosed with atrial flutter each year in the United States. Gregory Feld, MD of the University of California San Diego Medical Center, principal Investigator of the clinical trial involving the device, stated, "The results of this multi-center study show shorter procedure times with fewer ablations and a chronic success rate for atrial flutter in excess of 96 percent."
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

August 25, 2003
Black Women Get Worse Heart Care, Study Finds
According to a study, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, black women may have a higher risk of heart disease than white women, but they get worse care. Dr. Michael Shlipak, who directed the study, said black women need to be aware that heart disease is more likely to kill them than anything else and take charge when they see a doctor. "We don't really know if the undertreatment of black women is being driven by physicians or patients. But, the more women are empowered to participate in their cardiac care, the better off they will be," he said.
(source: Reuters)

August 21, 2003
Angioplasties Are Worth the Wait
Results of the DANAMI-2 study, published in today's NEJM (read abstract here), concludes that transferring patients who are experiencing myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (heart attack) to a hospital equipped to perform angioplasty is superior to on-site thrombolytic treatment, provided the transfer can occur within two hours. The risk of death, repeat heart attack or stroke was reduced by 60%. This study strongly bolsters earlier findings that heart attack patients should be brought to an interventional center, NOT to the nearest hospital.
(source: CBS News / New England Journal of Medicine)

August 19, 2003
Heart Risk Factors Are Real -- Studies Confirm
Contrary to much that has been published, citing the inevitablitiy of heart attacks due to genetics, etc., two studies published in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association state that most heart events occur in individuals who have had exposure to one or more conventional risk factors, several of which are under the control of the patients. The major implication of these findings is that patients can do far more in helping prevent heart attacks than previously thought. You can access the full-text articles for a fee from JAMA entitled Major Risk Factors as Antecedents of Fatal and Nonfatal Coronary Heart Disease Events and Prevalence of Conventional Risk Factors in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.
(source: ABCNews / Journal of the American Medical Association)

August 14, 2003
Boston Scientific Launches Next Generation Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging System
Boston Scientific, which states it is the "worldwide market leader in IVUS technology", announces the launch of its next generation intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging system, the Galaxy®2 System. These systems consist of consoles and catheters, which together provide cross-sectional and longitudinal ultrasound images of the inside of an artery or the heart. For background information on the field of intravascular ultrasound, read our article on IVUS.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

August 12, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces FDA Clearance for Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDC®) for Expanded Treatment of Brain Aneurysms
While not a coronary treatment, this device exemplifies the revolution in medicine brought about by catheter-based technologies that started with PTCA over 25 years ago.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

August 11, 2003
Cells 'reverse heart attack damage'
The body's master cells can repair the damage caused by a heart attack, suggests a study by Dr Victor Dzau and colleagues at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. Tests on rats have shown that stem cells can restore up to 90% of the heart's ability to pump blood around the body, which is often reduced following an attack.
(source: BBC News)

August 7, 2003
Studies Sow Doubt Over Hormone Therapy Benefits
Two new studies about the effects on coronary heart disease of hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women were published in today's New England Journal of Medicine. Hormone therapy, originally indicated for relief of the symptoms of menopause, was touted for years as a protection for heart disease in women. Studies published earlier this year disputed this. Now these studies agree: one study -- abstract here -- stated there was no benefit in stopping the advancement of coronary heart disease, while the second -- abstract here -- actually showed a significant increased risk of heart attack, especially in the first year. Another article from ABC News points out that, while the actual risks are not tremendous, these factors should be taken into account by women and prescribing physicians. Finally, an article in the Washington Post discusses how a number of women want to resume hormone therapy and what members of the medical profession are recommending.
(source: Reuters / New England Journal of Medicine / ABC News / Washington Post)

August 6, 2003
Treatment After Heart Attack Should Be Speedy
A study headed by Dr. David A. Alter, from the University of Toronto, published in the current Journal of the American College of Cardiology -- read abstract here -- states that heart attack patients admitted to hospitals that perform "invasive" treatments (angioplasty and bypass surgery) do better than those at "non-invasive" hospitals.
(source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology / Reuters Health)

August 5, 2003
New Guidelines for Echocardiography
Updated guidelines on echocardiography include new recommendations for its use during stress or exercise testing, as well as in patients with heart failure or those who are critically ill. Read a PDF file of the Guidelines here.
(source: HealthDay / American College of Cardiology - American Heart Association Task Force)

August 5, 2003
Anger trigger to heart disease found?
A study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine by Edward C. Suarez, PhD of Duke University concludes that anger and hostility may trigger the production of blood protein interleukin 6 (or IL-6) involved in inflammation -- for the first time making a physiological link between the emotional state and heart disease. Also read the abstract.
(source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Science News / Psychosomatic Medicine)

August 1, 2003
What Do Patients Want and Do They Get It?
A report on a study from the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that patients can have a significant effect on what their doctor does -- patients who requested a referral to a specialist were four times more likely to receive the referral than those who did not make the request. Also read a report on the study from Reuters Health,
(source: Archives of Internal Medicine / Reuters Health / )

August 1, 2003
Physical Activity May Slow Atherosclerosis
This article, reporting on findings published in the July issue of the American Journal of Medicine, states "Leisure time physical activity slows the build-up of plaque in the arteries (atherosclerosis), and the more vigorous the activity, the greater the benefit."
(source: Reuters Health)

July, 2003
Internet Access and Empowerment: A Community-based Health Initiative
An abstract in the July issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine about a research project that shows that access to online health information increased empowerment, confidence in technology and control over health-related decisions in a low-income neighborhood in Chicago.
(source: Journal of General Internal Medicine)

July 30, 2003
Boston Scientific and Corautus Genetics Enter Gene Therapy Alliance
The companies have entered into a strategic alliance to develop and commercialize a gene therapy technology to treat cardiovascular disease, focusing initially on patients with severe ischemic heart disease who have been unresponsive to conventional therapies. For more background on this emerging field, see our article on "Angiogenesis".
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

July 30, 2003
Medtronic Announces U.S Availability of the NC Stormer® Balloon Catheter
The company press release states, "A non-compliant balloon, such as the NC Stormer balloon, is used primarily for treating challenging coronary lesions, as well as to reopen partially closed stents or further expand implanted stents—either during the initial interventional procedure or during a subsequent intervention."
(source: Medtronic, Inc.)

July 29, 2003
Statins help heart failure patients without high cholesterol
“This is the first prospective study to show that statins have beneficial effects in heart failure in the absence of coronary artery disease or high blood cholesterol,” says senior author James K. Liao, M.D., director of vascular medicine research at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. “This was a surprising finding in that the benefits occur after only 14 weeks of treatment and with a very low dose of the drug.”
(source: American Heart Association)

July 25, 2003
Virtual medicine: Students train on simulation mannequin
Students at UC Davis Medical Center are using "Simantha", a new highly-detailed medical procedure simulator, to learn the fine points of catheter-based interventions without risk to a patient.
(source: Alison C. Burggren, Sacramento Bee)

July 23, 2003
Filter-Based Catheter Equal to Balloon Occlusion and Aspiration System for Distal Protection During PCI of Saphenous Vein Grafts
A report by Gregg W. Stone MD of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute (NYC) and the FilterWire EX Randomized Evaluation (FIRE) team shows that filter-based catheters, which offer the inherent advantages of maintained perfusion and ease of use, are as effective as balloon occlusion / aspiration methods.
(source: Circulation)

July 23, 2003
Diet May Cut Cholesterol As Much As Drugs Do
Researchers in Canada have published a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association (read abstract) that shows a vegetarian diet high in soluble fibre and low in saturated fats can lower "bad" cholesterol as much as currently used pharmaceuticals.
(source: Scientific American / Journal of the American Medical Association)

July 22, 2003
Early heart disease in parents linked to thicker artery walls in offspring
If your parents had coronary heart disease before age 60, the walls of your neck arteries are more likely to be thicker, putting you at higher risk of heart disease, too, researchers report in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
(source: American Heart Association)

July 18, 2003
Diadexus Receives FDA Marketing Clearance for PLAC™ Test
"The PLAC™ test is an important new tool which physicians may use to more accurately predict who is at risk for heart disease," said Christie Ballantyne, MD, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Baylor College of Medicine and the Methodist DeBakey Heart Center in Houston. "Somewhere between one-third and one-half of heart attacks occur in people considered to have normal LDL cholesterol. This test enables us to better determine who is at risk for CHD before an adverse event occurs
(source: diaDexus, Inc.)

July 16, 2003
Guidant Receives U.S. Approval for First Cobalt Chromium Coronary Stent System
The use of the cobalt chromium alloy allows for a thinner strut design and a lower profile, which enables physicians to access challenging coronary blockages. Guidant plans to use its cobalt chromium stent technology in future programs including drug eluting stents and vulnerable plaque therapies.
(source: Guidant Corporation)

July 15, 2003
Age-related Stem Cell Loss Prevents Artery Repair And Leads To Atherosclerosis
Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have discovered that a major problem with aging is an unexpected failure of the bone marrow to produce progenitor cells that are needed to repair and rejuvenate arteries exposed to such environmental risks as smoking or caloric abuse. The researchers demonstrated that an age-related loss of particular stem cells that continually repair blood vessel damage is critical to determining the onset and progression of atherosclerosis, which causes arteries to clog and become less elastic.
(source: Science Daily)

July 8, 2003
On the go: Clot buster-blood thinner ambulance combo may jump-start heart attack treatment
Combining a clot buster with a form of the blood thinner heparin can be safely initiated for heart attack victims enroute to the hospital – an approach that reduces the time to treatment and could significantly improve survival, according to a rapid track study in today’s Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
(source: American Heart Association)

July 8, 2003
American Heart Association outlines 'chilling' plan to prevent brain damage after cardiac arrest
Lowering the body temperature of a person who has been resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest can help prevent brain damage, according to an international advisory statement published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
(source: American Heart Association)

June 30, 2003
Hospitals get OK to offer lucrative angioplasty
The Maryland Health Care Commission on June 19 approved a plan to allow hospitals that do not offer open-heart surgery services the right to perform elective angioplasties, provided the hospitals meet criteria established by the commission. The move is a small but important step for the "have-not" hospitals that have long been locked out of the lucrative cardiac surgery market.
(source: Baltimore Business Journal)

June 19, 2003
Rosiglitazone Reduces Development of Heart Stent Blockage
Reporting from the Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association: the anti-inflammatory drug, rosiglitazone (Avandia), not only lowers blood sugar levels, but prevents or dramatically reduces the development of new blockages (restenosis) in heart stents, say researchers.
(source: Stanford University)

June 13, 2003
Guidant pleads guilty to defect cover-ups
The company settled criminal and civil claims for $92.4 million, the largest ever fine paid by a medical device group for failure to make reports required by law with regulators. The problems were with Guidant's abdominal aortic aneurysm repair device, which was taken off the market in 2001.
(source: Christopher Bowe, Financial Times)

June 10, 2003
Bleed-detecting MRI may identify dangerous plaque
Not all plaque is equal, and complicated plaque that involves intra-plaque bleeding is at high risk for stroke or heart attack. Two studies show how Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can help identify these plaques.
(source: American Heart Association)

June 10, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces FDA and CE Mark Approvals for Cutting Balloon Ultra2™ Dilatation Device
The Cutting Balloon Ultra2 device represents the next-generation of the Company's Cutting Balloon™ product. It features tiny, longitudinally mounted atherotomes (microsurgical blades) that help reduce resistance of a lesion to expansion. The atherotomes create incisions that relieve stress in the artery as the balloon inflates, reducing the force necessary to expand the vessel.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

June 10, 2003
Disease of the Peripheral Arteries Can Be a Crucial Warning Signal
The authors states, "The disease is an early warning sign that cries out for help. Yet two-thirds of those afflicted do not know they have it because they have no symptoms. Doctors often fail to diagnose it even in those with symptoms, though there is a simple, noninvasive test for it. And even many who know they have it are not receiving potentially lifesaving treatment."
(source: Jane E, Brody, New York Times (registration required)

June 10, 2003
Guidant Begins Second Clinical Trial to Develop Minimally Invasive Treatment for Carotid Artery Disease
The company announced the enrollment of the first patient in its second clinical trial designed to evaluate carotid artery stenting as a minimally invasive alternative for patients who are at high risk for stroke and are ineligible for current surgical options or at high surgical-risk. The clinical trial, called ARCHeR RX, (ACCULINK for Revascularization of Carotids in High-Risk Patients), is a prospective, non-randomized, multi-center, single-arm study that will enroll 145 patients in the United States, Europe and South America.
(source: Guidant Corporation)

June 10, 2003
Off-pump bypass results in fewer complications
Since most patients in midlife now have angioplasty instead of bypass, the surgical population is increasingly older. Off-pump bypass surgery has been developed to reduce the negative effects of surgery. Hawaiian researchers have found a 30-fold reduction in the micro-embolic burden – tiny debris that break off in surgery which can travel to the brain and result in neurological complications.
(source: American Heart Association)

June 9, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces FDA Approval For FilterWire EX™ Embolic Protection System
The FilterWire EX system is a low-profile embolic filter mounted on a guidewire that is designed to reduce complications during balloon angioplasty and stenting procedures in saphenous vein grafts (SVG). It captures embolic material that becomes dislodged during cardiovascular interventions. The debris captured by the filter would otherwise travel into the microvasculature where it could cause a heart attack. The FilterWire EX is the first filter-based system approved for SVG treatment in the U.S.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

May 9, 2003
Stanford University School of Medicine Conducting Online Trial of Disease Management Program for Patients
(source: Stanford Patient Education Research Center

April 27, 2003
Who Will Pay for New J&J Device?
Article states:"Now that Johnson & Johnson's groundbreaking device for clogged arteries is officially on the U.S. market, the dance begins over who will pick up the expected $3,200 tab for the product."
(source: Kim Dixon, Reuters)

April 25, 2003
Boston Scientific Close On J&J's Heels With New Stent
More from the business press about the implications of the FDA approval of J&J's Cypher stent on Thursday for J&J and its competitors.
(source: Zina Moukheiber, Forbes.com)

April 25, 2003
A Clog Clears for J&J
"The FDA finally approves its advanced drug-coated stent for keeping arteries open. The bad news: Rivals are on the way."
(source: Amy Barrett, BusinessWeek Online)

April 24, 2003
Former Truck Driver To Be First In US To Get Cypher Stent
This Dow Jones article announces that sometime late Thursday, the same day that the FDA approved Cordis/Johnson & Johnson's Cypher stent, a patient of Dr. Martin Leon of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York will be the first in the U.S. to receive the stent outside of clinical trials. (You can read an interview with Dr. Leon in our archive.)
(source: Daniel Rosenberg, Dow Jones Business News)

April 24, 2003
FDA Approves Drug-Eluting Stent for Clogged Heart Arteries
Today marks the long-awaited US approval of Johnson & Johnson's Cypher™ stent. The FDA states: "The Food and Drug Administration today approved the first drug-eluting stent for angioplasty procedures to open clogged coronary arteries. The new stent slowly releases a drug, and has been shown in clinical studies to significantly reduce the rate of re-blockage that occurs with existing stents". Also read this press release from the company, and an article from Reuters.
(source: US Food & Drug Administration / Cordis Corporation / Debra Sherman, Reuters )

April 21, 2003
Patients wait, risking heart attack
Some of the 40,000 U.S. patients lining up for the next big Johnson & Johnson product are risking heart attacks while they wait, doctors said. Richard Schatz, a Scripps Clinic cardiologist and co-inventor of the original stent, said, “We’ve had a couple crash and burns, where we said let’s wait it out, and then they’ve had a heart attack while they are waiting. We’ve been thinking since March that (approval) would be right around the corner. We’ve been putting off as many (procedures) as we can.”
(source: Paige Orr, Bloomberg News)

April 16, 2003
Cancer Drug Improves Stent Outcomes; Taxol keeps narrowed vessels open after angioplasty, study finds
This article summarizes the results of the Asian Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent Clinical Trial (ASPECT), which were published in this week's New England Jounral of Medicine. under the title, "A Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent for the Prevention of Coronary Restenosis. " The study used a stent manufactured by Cook. A later U.S. study with a different Cook stent was stopped when it became clear that the trial would fail, yet the results of this ASPECT trial are very positive, as have been other Paclitaxel trials, such as the Boston Scientific TAXUS II. It may be the stent itself, or the polymer coating that makes the difference.
(source: Adam Marcus, HealthScout / New England Journal of Medicine)

April 14, 2003
J&J Still Awaits Approval of Potential Blockbuster Stent
The Cypher stent, approved in Europe for a year now, still has not been approved by the FDA, although it was recommended for approval by the FDA panel six months ago.
(source: Daniel Rosenberg, Dow Jones Business News)

April 13, 2003
Decisions elsewhere may help area hospitals
An article from Polk County, Florida, about the effect that a Rhode island panel's recommendations regarding emergency angioplasty without surgical backup will have on their local healthcare.
(source: Steven N. Levine, Polkonline.com)

April 12, 2003
Study Faults Veterans Administration on Heart Care
The Agency has vowed to improve its system, but a study showed that patients at VA hospital are half as likely to receive angioplasty or bypass surgery as their non-VA counterparts.
(source: David Brown, Washington Post)

April 10, 2003
Governor of Alaska Frank Murkowski has Angioplasty
Murkowski, 70, was flown from Juneau to Anchorage where doctors at Providence Alaska Medical Center performed the procedure Wednesday night to restore normal blood flow to the governor's heart. Murkowski had no complications during the procedure and was in good condition Thursday. He was expected to be released Friday morning.
(source: Mary Pemberton , Associated Press)

April 10, 2003
FDA Panel Unanimously Approves Cook's Zenith® AAA Endovascular Graft
A major hurdle was cleared for this device, a third-generation stent-graft system for the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The development of these devices branched directly from the success of the coronary and peripheral stents developed in the 80's and 90's by Palmaz, Gianturco and many others.
(source: Cook Inc.)

April 8, 2003
Rolling Stones’ troupe member suffers a heart attack
A member of the Stones tour was diagnosed as having a heart attack. He was rushed to Bombay Hospital in India and life-saving angioplasty was performed.
(source: Express India News Service)

April 7, 2003
Advanced Stent Technologies, Inc. Announces Commencement Of U.S. Pivotal Study of Its SLK-View™ Stent and Delivery System to Treat Coronary Bifurcation Lesions
The study, named "Bifurcation Optimized with the SLK-View Stent," or "BOSS," will utilize the SLK-View stent and delivery system to provide side branch access while treating coronary bifurcation lesions -- a type of blockage that occurs at the "Y" where two arteries branch off, always a complicated place in which to expand balloons or stents, since expanding a balloon in one branched artery compresses the other artery
(source: Advanced Stent Technologies, Inc.)

April 7, 2003
Beta Blockers Before Angioplasty For Myocardial Infarction Has Clinical Benefit
Beta blocker use before primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction appears to have a beneficial effect on short-term outcomes, say researchers.
(source: Doctor's Guide)

April 4, 2003
J&J To Launch Trial Comparing Its Stent To Boston Scientific's
"Stent Wars" continues head-to-head: Johnson & Johnson said this week it plans to fund a 1,000-patient trial to demonstrate what it says is the superiority of its Cypher drug-eluting stent over rival Boston Scientific Corp.'s Taxus drug-eluting stent. Boston Scientific spokesman Paul Donovan said his company welcomes J&J's new trial. "We welcome any legitimate comparison of our drug-eluting stent technology to J&J's. We have a better stent, a better drug and dose combination, a better polymer and a better delivery system."
(source: Daniel Rosenberg, Dow Jones Business News)

March 31, 2003
Boston Scientific Files Suit Against J&J
Boston Scientific said it filed a lawsuit earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Delaware charging that J&J's Cypher drug-coated stent infringes a Boston Scientific patent.
(source: Wall Street Journal)

March 31, 2003
One-Year SIRIUS Trial Analysis Confirms Cost-Effectiveness of CYPHER™ Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent
In an independent economic analysis presented at the American College of Cardiology 52nd Scientific Session by Dr. David J. Cohen of the Harvard Clinical Research Institute, the use of the CYPHER drug-eluting stent was shown to actually save healthcare dollars, even though the stent itself is significantly more expensive than a standard bare-metal stent. The savings were the result of the reduction in repeat interventions.
(source: Cordis Corporation)

March 30, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces 12-Month Follow-Up Data From TAXUS II Clinical Trial; Low six-month MACE and TLR rates maintained at one year
Principal investigator Professor Antonio Colombo, M.D., EMO Centro Cuoro Columbus, Milan presented data confirming that the beneficial results seen at six months were maintained at one year, even in the diabetic population. He stated, "The 12-month data is extremely impressive and provides additional, consistent evidence of the safety and efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stent technology."
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

March 19, 2003
Boston Scientific bets on new stents; CFO says devices could generate $2 bln in 2004
Speaking at the SG Cowen health-care investment conference in Boston, Lawrence Best affirmed that his company hopes to win Food and Drug Administration clearance for their drug-eluting stents -- tiny mesh devices that cardiologists use to prop open clogged arteries -- late this year. Drug-coated stents represent a "revolutionary" way of treating heart disease and could be the "largest opportunity in medical devices ever seen," Best said.
(source: Ted Griffith, CBS.MarketWatch.com)

March 18, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces Start of TAXUS V Clinical Trial
In this press release, the company announces submission of second module of PMA application for its TAXUS™ paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

March 13, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces TAXUS™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System Granted 'Expedited Review' Status By FDA; FDA Says TAXUS Product May Represent 'Breakthrough Technology'
Boston Scientific Corporation announced today that it has received notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that its TAXUS™ paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system has been granted "expedited review" status. Granting of expedited review status means that the application is designated to receive priority review before other pending applications.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

March 11, 2003
Boston Scientific and Osiris Therapeutics Announce Stem Cell Alliance
This company press release announces a strategic alliance to deveop catheter-based application of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) technology to help patients who have suffered a heart attack.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

February 26, 2003
Bill Aims to Speed Medicare Device Coverage
U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled legislation designed to reduce the time it takes for Medicare to cover new medical devices. According to a June 2002 report on the agency's Web site, the average time for making a national coverage decision for a new technology was between 65 and 96 days in fiscal year 2001. Some complicated cases took longer. It took another 156 days on average after a coverage decision was made to implement the policy, the report said. Medicare won praise for announcing in July 2002 it would cover drug-coated stents, a breakthrough for treating clogged arteries, after they hit the market. The first is expected to be approved for sale in the coming weeks.
(source: Lisa Richwine, Reuters)

February 25, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces Submission of First Module of PMA Application For Its TAXUS™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System
This company press release announces the beginning of the FDA approval process for Boston Scientific's drug-eluting stent system. The company plans to complete its PMA application in June with a module which will include data from its TAXUS IV clinical trial, the large pivotal trial supporting U.S. commercialization. Results of the TAXUS IV clinical trial will be announced in September at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics symposium in Washington.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

February 18, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces European Launch of its TAXUS™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent System
In a company press release Jim Tobin, President and Chief Executive Officer, states: "Several years worth of consistent results across a number of clinical trials have demonstrated that polymer-based delivery of paclitaxel is a safe and effective therapy for a broad spectrum of patients, including those with complex lesions. We are greatly encouraged by data that have reported very low restenosis rates and significant improvements for diabetic patients, and we are particularly encouraged by a lack of edge effect.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

January 23, 2003
St. Jude Medical Announces FDA Approval of New Labeling For 6F Angio-Seal STS Platform
The company's press release states: " The IDE study conducted by St. Jude Medical demonstrated how the 6F Angio-Seal™ STS device can significantly reduce the time to patient ambulation following diagnostic angiography procedures, showing 35 percent of patients ambulating in less than five minutes and the majority ambulating within 10 minutes."
(source: St. Jude Medical, Inc.)

January 21, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces CE Mark For its TAXUS™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent System
"This is an historic day for our company and for the treatment of coronary artery disease," said Jim Tobin, President and Chief Executive Officer. In the words of Dr. Antonio Colombo of Milan,"CE Mark for the TAXUS stent will now enable large numbers of patients to benefit from the great promise of paclitaxel-eluting stents. This is an exciting development that marks the beginning of a new era in the treatment of coronary artery disease."
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

January 20, 2003
Women Seen Undertreated for Heart Disease
The study, in Tuesday's Annals of Internal Medicine (read the abstract) involved 2,763 postmenopausal women with heart disease. All had suffered heart attacks or chest pain caused by blocked arteries, or had undergone bypass surgery or angioplasty. Researchers found that beta blockers, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and even aspirin were underused by this patient population.
(source: Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press Writer)

January 19, 2003
Gains on Heart Disease Leave More Survivors, and Questions
A front page article on this Sunday's New York Times about the revolution in the treatments for heart disease that have occurred over the past three decades.
(source: Gina Kolata, New York Times -- free abstract; full article available for purchase)

January 16, 2003
Boston Scientific Completes Enrollment of TAXUS VI Clinical Trial
The company announces the latest in a series of trials (which are summarized in the article) for its drug-eluting stent system. TAXUS VI is an international trial studying 448 patients with complex coronary artery disease at 44 sites. It is designed to establish the safety and efficacy of the moderate-release formulation in the treatment of longer lesions (greater than or equal to 18 mm in length).
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

January 14, 2003
Boston Scientific Announces Suit By Johnson & Johnson
A new engagement in the "Stent Wars" -- Cordis Corporation, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has filed a suit alleging that Boston Scientific stents, including the Express2™ stent, willfully infringe a patent owned by Cordis.
(source: Boston Scientific Corporation)

January 7, 2003
Medtronic Announces Start of ENDEAVOR Drug-Eluting Stent Trial
The ENDEAVOR feasibility study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Medtronic's drug-eluting stent for the treatment of single de novo lesions in native coronary arteries with a diameter of 3.0 mm to 3.5 mm. The new stent uses a drug, ABT-578 -- designed to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation, and a phosphorylcholine coating technology -- both licensed from Abbott.
(source: Medtronic, Inc.)

January 3, 2003
Stem Cells Offer Hope to Heart Attack Victims
Professor Gustav Steinhoff and colleagues from the University of Rostock, Germany, injected stem cells into six patients' hearts and found five had strikingly improved blood flow, suggesting the cells may have generated growth in damaged areas. The study was the subject of a research letter in this week's issue of The Lancet (Lancet requires free registration to read abstract summaries).
(source: Reuters / The Lancet)

January 3, 2003
Johnson & Johnson's New Stent May Dominate Angioplasties
Major story on coated stents in the New York Times (NYT registration required -- it's free) which needs to be slightly modified by the yesterday's developments concerning Guidant. This follows a recent front-page story about Johnson & Johnson in the Wall Street Journal (sorry -- available to WSJ subscribers only). Currently, in the United States, coated stents from two companies (Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific) are in line for FDA approval. Read more about these new devices in our special section on "Drug-Eluting Stents".
(source: Reed Abelson, New York Times -- free abstract; full article available for purchase)

January 3, 2003
Guidant Back to Square One in Stents
Guidant announced late Thursday that its key Deliver coated stent study wouldn't meet its primary goals and as a result, the company's deal to acquire Cook Group Inc. has fallen apart. The data from Deliver effectively end Guidant's coated stent program with the paclitaxel drug. The company is also working on a stent coated with everolimus, but that product won't be available until 2005 at the earliest. Also read Guidant's press release.
(source: Susan Nadeau, Reuters / Guidant Corporation)