The drug in question, ataciguat, could help heart patients avoid aortic valve replacement—or at least put it off until later in life.

CMS will cover TTVR for the treatment of symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation on a national level. The agency first proposed such a policy in December, taking time to consider public comments before finalizing its decision.

Clinicians are asking the world's medical societies to come together and agree on one acronym for TAVR/TAVI to avoid unnecessary confusion going forward.

Steven Bolling, MD, noted that tricuspid treatments have been linked to consistent benefits in terms of quality of life. However, he said, finding clear improvements in clinical outcomes has been more challenging.

Researchers detailed their experience performing the very first TAVR procedures with the Venus-PowerX TAVR valve from Venus MedTech. The valve includes a wire-controlled mechanism that makes it possible to recapture after full deployment. 

CMS has proposed covering tricuspid TEER for patients who present with symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation despite optimal medical therapy. The agency still has questions about the available data, however, and is seeking public comments as it makes its final decision.

Mitral valve repair was linked to a significant improvement in long-term survival when treating infective endocarditis. Some patients are not good candidates for a repair procedure, however, making replacement the best possible option.

"We wanted to ensure that every interventionalist, regardless of location or resources, has access to the best information possible," one co-author said. 

When patients require subsequent noncardiac surgery after a major heart operation, waiting at least 100 days is one way to limit the risk of an adverse event. Read the full analysis in JACC: Advances.

Mothers of these children also appear to be at an increased risk of cancer, though researchers do not quite understand why.