The 30-day incidence of major adverse events (MAE) was not different for patients with intra-aortic balloon (IABP) or Impella 2.5 hemodynamic support; however, trends for improved outcomes were observed for Impella 2.5-supported patients at 90-days, according to a PROTECT II study published online Aug. 30 in Circulation.

Among patients with diabetes compared with patients without diabetes, the use of conventional clopidogrel treatment after MI was associated with lower reduction in the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular death in a registry of nearly 60,000 patients. The results were published Sept. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, editorialist Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, told Cardiovascular Business that registry results need to be taken in stride, compared with randomized controlled trials.

The data safety monitoring board has recommended that the TASTE trial, which is evaluating thrombus aspiration in MI, move forward passed its prespecified patient mark to continue enrollment, after a "scrutiny of the figures."

Medtronic and Volcano have entered into an alliance to provide interventional cardiologists, cardiac cath lab managers and cardiovascular service line directors a combined product offering that addresses the clinical needs in coronary artery disease.

There is no evidence of superiority of Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (E-ZES, Medtronic) compared with Cypher sirolimus-eluting stent (C-SES; Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson company) in definite or probable stent thrombosis rates at three years, according to the PROTECT trial presented Aug. 27 at the 2012 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in Munich.

The use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation did not significantly reduce 30-day mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute MI for whom an early revascularization strategy was planned, according to the IABP-SHOCK II trial, presented Aug. 27 at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2012 Congress in Munich. Based on these surprising results along with other outcomes data, editorialists questioned its use in routine practice and recommended a guideline change.

Prasugrel (Effient) was not superior to clopidogrel (Plavix) for reducing the rate of major cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome who do not undergo revascularization, according to TRILOGY ACS results. While patients in the prasugrel group had higher rates of minor and moderate bleeding, there was no significant increase in the rate of severe, major or life-threatening bleeding.

The overall rate of death in patients hospitalized with STEMI decreased from 1995 to 2010 in France, with possible factors associated with this decline including an increase in the proportion of STEMI patients who were women younger than age 60, and an increase in the use of reperfusion therapy and recommended therapeutic measures following an MI, according to a study presented Aug. 27 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich.