Washington, D.C.The Mo.Ma Ultra proximal cerebral protection device (Invatec/Medtronic) used in combination with FDA approved carotid stents in high surgical risk subjects resulted in excellent safety and effectiveness outcomes, according to the ARMOUR trial presented at the annual conference of Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT), Feb. 21-23.

A co-marketing agreement between McKesson and St. Jude Medical will integrate St. Jude's PressureWire Aeris technology, used to evaluate blocked coronary arteries, with the McKesson Horizon Cardiology Hemo solution (version 12.1).

At five years, Cordis Cypher sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) had a safety record comparable to CABG and superior to bare-metal stents (BMS), and a major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) rate that was higher than in patients treated with CABG and lower than in those treated with BMS, based on the results of the randomized ARTS II trial.

As heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., technological advances pertaining to the treatment and prevention of heart disease, such as drug-eluting stents, have led to better patient care, but also have added to the rise of healthcare expenditures, according to the 33rd annual trend report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Researchers have found that the bedside test, Hemonox CT [clotting time], can be used as a reliable method to monitor enoxaparin (Lovenox, Sanofi-Aventis) anticoagulation therapy before catherization and PCI and can provide better anticoagulation therapy compared to unfractionated heparin (UFH) if well managed, according to a study published Feb. 16 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The Medicines Company has commenced the implementation of a workforce reduction in its U.S. field-based sales functions to improve efficiencies.

Zoom Co. Medic has released a second-generation transradial compression bracelet, called Zoom 2010.

Cardiovascular Systems, a medical device developer of interventional treatment systems for vascular disease, has reported its financial results for the 2009 second quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2009, indicating a narrowing of net losses.