Structural Heart Disease

Structural heart diseases include any issues preventing normal cardiovascular function due to damage or alteration to the anatomical components of the heart. This is caused by aging, advanced atherosclerosis, calcification, tissue degeneration, congenital heart defects and heart failure. The most commonly treated areas are the heart valves, in particular the mitral and aortic valves. These can be replaced through open heart surgery or using cath lab-based transcatheter valves or repairs to eliminate regurgitation due to faulty valve leaflets. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Other common procedures include left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion and closing congenital holes in the heart, such as PFO and ASD. A growing area includes transcatheter mitral repair or replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.

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Calcium supplements & men: Good for bones, bad for heart?

The use of supplemental calcium may have an adverse effect on the cardiovascular health of men but not women, according to a prospective cohort study that was published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association: Internal Medicine.

Medicines makes $205M offer for LDL-lowering drug

The Medicines Company will pay $25 million to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals as part of an alliance to develop and commercialize Alnylam’s therapeutic program for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

RVUs ‘inadequate’ in pediatric cath cases

The relative value units (RVUs) used to reimburse physicians fall short in their ability to capture the time, skill and stress involved in catheterization procedures in children with congenital heart disease, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in Pediatrics.

FDA clears Kynamro for rare cholesterol condition

The FDA has approved mipomersen sodium (Kynamro) injection as an addition to lipid-lowering medications and diet to treat patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a rare type of high cholesterol. The addition of Kynamro helps to reduce low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, and non-high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, according to the agency.

Direct Flow's TAVI system gets EU thumbs up

Direct Flow Medical has received CE Mark for its transcatheter aortic heart valve with a metal-free frame and low-profile transfemoral delivery system. The design also creates a seal around the annulus. 

FDA green-lights three diabetes drugs

The FDA approved three new related products for use with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes: Nesina (alogliptin) tablets, Kazano (alogliptin and metformin hydrochloride) tablets and Oseni (alogliptin and pioglitazone) tablets.

Novo Nordisk's diabetes drugs net EU clearance

The European Commission has granted marketing authorizations for insulin degludec (Tresiba) and insulin degludec/insulin aspart (Ryzodeg), both marketed by Novo Nordisk, for the treatment of diabetes in adults.

Complications often precede CPR in surgical patients

A retrospective study of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in surgical patients found that most arrests and resuscitations occurred postoperatively and after the patient developed complications. The results were published online in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association-Surgery.

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