Women who received catheter ablation in the FIRE AND ICE trial were 37 percent more likely than men to have a recurrence of atrial arrhythmia and 36 percent more likely to be rehospitalized for cardiovascular causes, according to an analysis published April 26 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

Therapies targeting cholesterol and inflammation have both shown the ability to reduce cardiovascular events among patients with atherosclerosis, but more evidence is needed before anti-inflammatory drugs gain widespread use similar to statins, according to a consensus statement published May 14 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

The first patient to be treated with a novel mitral valve repair system is recovering and showed no complications during a 30-day follow-up period, according to a press release issued by the system's developer.

DUBLIN — May 16, 2018 — Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) today announced the initiation of a clinical study in the U.S. to assess the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of bifurcation lesions, which account for approximately 20 percent of all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

PASADENA, Calif., May 16, 2018 — The FH Foundation, a leading research and advocacy organization, today announced the launch of a new research study that aims to understand the willingness for individuals with a clinical diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and their family members to undergo confirmatory genetic testing, through a partnership with Color Genomics.

Fetuses exposed to higher levels of air pollution during their mother’s third trimester of pregnancy have a higher risk of elevated blood pressure in childhood, according to a new study published online May 14 in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.

Using data from the randomized COURAGE trial, a team of researchers developed a model to predict one-year angina and quality-of-life outcomes among patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Researchers have identified a genetic variant that may predispose individuals to alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), possibly opening the door for genetic testing and familial evaluation.

Watchman-related thrombi developed in 3.7 percent of patients who were implanted with the device, resulting in a threefold risk of stroke or systemic embolism, according to a meta-analysis of clinical trials and registries published online May 11 in Circulation.

An effective transition to skilled nursing facilities or home healthcare requires caregivers on both sides of the interaction to work together, which often doesn’t happen, according to the authors of an Annals of Internal Medicine web exclusive.