The American Stroke Association’s 2015 International Stroke Conference held Feb. 11-13 in Nashville, Tenn., likely lifted many spirits with findings that supported new therapies and identified opportunities to improve patient care.

Ethicon today announced positive new data from the clinical development program for EVARREST Fibrin Sealant Patch. More than 92 percent of patients treated during aortic reconstruction surgery with Ethicon's EVARREST achieved hemostasis on the first attempt within three minutes and maintained hemostasis throughout the duration of the surgery, compared to 33 percent for those treated with Baxter's TachoSil patch and 46 percent for those treated with the standard of care, manual compression with or without an additional topical absorbable hemostat. The results of the Phase II study, as presented on Saturday at The Houston Aortic Symposium in Houston, TX, demonstrate the potential of EVARREST as an adjunctive hemostatic agent in this challenging setting.

Adopting 2014 guidelines for reducing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation would revise the number recommended for oral anticoagulation treatment in the U.S. upwards by 988,500, according to an analysis published online March 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Lowered response to statin therapy may indicate more rapidly progressive atherosclerosis, according to a meta-analysis. These patients, representing one-fifth of the study population, were more likely to have significant arterial blockage progression at follow-up than those who responded to treatment.

Man or woman, prescription rates for stroke-preventing anticoagulants were no different for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in a global study. However, on the whole the same anticoagulation rates showed inadequate thromboprophylaxis in the majority of patients.

Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts initiative recognized 30 public and private health care practices and systems across the country as Hypertension Control Champions for their success in helping patients control high blood pressure.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved supplemental reimbursement for two drug-coated balloons to treat Medicare patients with peripheral artery disease, but the payment applies only to outpatient settings.

The FDA has made a voluntary recall of two peripheral infusion systems into a Class 1 recall.