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.

Treating younger patients with TAVR increases risk of death
Treating patients younger than 65 with TAVR is associated with certain risks for heart teams to consider. Fortunately, researchers found, care teams appear to be choosing patients wisely.
Cardiologist demand is on the rise—can hospitals keep up?
Demand for inpatient and outpatient cardiology services is expected to increase significantly in the next decade, putting hospitals and health systems in a position where they need to plan ahead or risk falling behind.
Self-expanding vs. balloon-expandable TAVR valves: How they compare after 5 years
SOLVE-TAVI focused on the long-term impact of selecting different second-generation transcatheter heart valves and anesthesia strategies for transfemoral TAVR procedures.
New data put a spotlight on troubling TAVR trends
Philippe Genereux, MD, principal investigator of the EARLY TAVR trial, noted that many patients with severe AS still go untreated.
How robotic-assisted mitral valve repair compares to conventional surgery
Costs remain a concern, especially for low-volume centers, but robotic-assisted MV repair is associated with short-term outcomes comparable to more conventional techniques.

Lilly, Zydus Cadila ink $300M deal for CV drug development

Zydus Cadila, a pharmaceutical company in Ahmedabad, India, has signed a new drug discovery and development agreement with Eli Lilly focused in the area of cardiovascular research, which could result in potential milestone payments of up to $300 million.

April 3, 2009

FDA panel greenlights diabetes drug from BMS, Astra

The FDA's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee has voted in favor of the new drug application for Onglyza from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Astrazeneca to treat adults with type 2 diabetes, stating that the data were sufficient to rule out unacceptable cardiovascular risk relative to comparators in the program.

April 2, 2009

FEATURE: AHA chiefs hedge support of polypill, encourage preventive care dollars

ORLANDO, Fla.Although results of the polypill trial presented Monday at the ACC scientific sessions showed that healthy individuals may cut their risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 to 60 percent by taking it, AHA President Daniel W. Jones, MD, incoming AHA President Clyde Yancey, MD, and AHA Past-President Raymond Gibbons, MD, cautioned against any drug therapy that could replace lifestyle modifications that could be effectively implemented through reform.

March 31, 2009

Flamel secures $4M from Glaxo for cardiovascular product line

Flamel Technologies has earned an additional $4 million milestone from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pursuant to its Micropump license agreement for Coreg CR (carvedilol phosphate extended release capsules).

March 27, 2009

Watson recalls cardiac arrhythmia drug

Watson Pharmaceuticals announced that one lot of 100-count bottles of Propafenone HCL 225 mg tablets, a drug used to treat cardiac arrhythmias, is being voluntarily recalled in the U.S. at the consumer level as a precautionary measure.

March 26, 2009

FDA panel greenlights Sanofi drug as first new a-fib treatment in 25 years

The FDA's cardiology drug panel voted 10-3 this Wednesday to approve Sanofi-Aventis' Multaq (dronedarone) to treat patients with non-permanent atrial fibrillation (AF)--the first new treatment in 25 years.

March 19, 2009

Cardiac Science books losses in 2008, replaces CEO

Cardiac Science has reported net losses for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2008. The company also named Dave Marver as a replacement for CEO and president John Hinson, who is leaving "for personal reasons."

March 19, 2009

Task force revises aspirin guidelines for heart attack, stroke

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended aspirin use for primary prevention of heart attack and stroke in the March 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, citing its improved specificity over previous guidelines.

March 18, 2009

Around the web

Health Imaging

Use of AI opportunistic screening in CT for cardiovascular disease

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Structural Heart Disease

Treating younger patients with TAVR increases risk of death

Cardiologist demand is on the rise—can hospitals keep up?

Self-expanding vs. balloon-expandable TAVR valves: How they compare after 5 years

New data put a spotlight on troubling TAVR trends

How robotic-assisted mitral valve repair compares to conventional surgery

Around the web