Consuming an array of foods sounds reasonable in theory but may ultimately backfire, according to the authors of a scientific advisory statement published online Aug. 9 in Circulation.

George Hahn of Philadelphia had two echocardiograms conducted at the same hospital a year apart, using the same insurance—the only difference was one cost $3,000 more than the other. No doubt Hahn’s plight is similar to many other Americans—and hospitals are acting, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Continued use of statins was associated with a 25 percent reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients after carotid revascularization, according to a Canadian study with five years of follow-up. But only about two-thirds of patients were taking moderate to high doses of the drugs prior to their procedures.

A screening program for top teen soccer players in England identified heart disorders associated with sudden cardiac death in one out of every 266 individuals. But among the eight athletes who eventually died of sudden cardiac arrest, six of them had normal electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings.

Research in the Journal of the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests sleeping beyond the recommended seven to eight hours a night can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. 

Medtronic has launched the pilot study of its extravascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (EV ICD), which is designed to deliver defibrillation and antitachycardia pacing without transvenous leads.

Shorter reperfusion times for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are associated with fewer cases of in-hospital heart failure and fewer readmissions for heart failure over the next 30 days, according to an observational study from Singapore published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 8, 2018 — Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire VENITI, Inc., a privately-held company in Fremont, California which has developed and commercialized the VICI VENOUS STENT® System for treating venous obstructive disease.

Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD)-related heart failure (HF) hospitalizations have increased in recent years and are associated with disproportionately higher costs, procedural burden and health resource use, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic have developed what could become a new class of cardiovascular drugs—one that lowers platelet responsiveness and excessive clot formation by targeting a specific bacteria byproduct in the gut.