Defibrillation leads recalled | Multimodality imagers making an impact | FDA clears hypertension alerts | IVL in Europe

Safety concerns with certain Boston Scientific leads have resulted in multiple Class I recalls, the FDA has announced. The agency first shared a warning about this issue in August. 

Heart teams continue to play a major role at hospitals and health systems all over the world. Cardiac imagers who have trained in multiple modalities can provide those teams with a significant amount of value.

The FDA’s decision arrived just days after Apple announced the new feature. "This tool empowers patients and clinicians to work together, putting prevention at the center of care," one cardiologist told Cardiovascular Business. 

The balloon-free catheter, which already had a successful launch in the United States, has been associated with positive outcomes and the ability to reach certain lesions more accurately than balloon-based IVL platforms.

The veteran interventional cardiologist claims he was pushed out after repeatedly asking for more coverage from cardiothoracic surgeons in addition to other improvements. The hospital, meanwhile, described the lawsuit as a “collection of false allegations."

The American College of Cardiology has shared new recommendations highlighting the protective benefits of a variety of vaccines. The new guidance also examines how to speak with patients who are hesitant to be vaccinated. 

The FDA has categorized this as a Class I recall. If patients update their phone or watch apps as needed, they can continue to use these devices like normal.

Cardiac surgeons see significant value in AI's ability to assist clinicians with administrative tasks and patient selection. When it comes to making clinical decisions, however, there is still a certain amount of skepticism. 

The Varipulse PFA platform, which has already received FDA and CE mark approval, was linked to an adverse event rate of just 0.6%. 

GLP-1 drugs have been taking the United States by storm in recent years. According to a new study of more than 90,000 patients, some of these medications can also make a big impact on reducing adverse heart failure outcomes.

One researcher described the study's findings as "one of the most significant advances in heart attack treatment in decades.”

Only 43% of women with disabilities receive American Society of Breast Surgeons-recommended mammography screening services, according to a new single-center study. 

Understanding which women have the greatest short-term risk could enable providers to implement targeted screening strategies to ensure malignancies are caught at the earliest possible stage.