Patients with peripheral artery disease in the upper leg experienced significantly better outcomes at 12 months after treatment with the IN.PACT Admiral drug-coated balloon from Medtronic, Inc. than with standard balloon angioplasty, according to a landmark clinical study reported on today for the first time.

The FDA approved dabigatran for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in certain patients.

The association between aortic valve replacements (AVR) and clinical strokes may be stronger than originally believed, data from a study published April 1 in Circulation suggest.

Medtronic indicated that the company is willing to support another renal denervation trial after seeing a glimmer of hope in subgroup analyses of patients with resistant hypertension. The lead investigator of the failed SYMPLICITY HTN-3 encouraged proponents to persevere, but with caution.

BURLINGTON, Mass. – March 26, 2014 – Infraredx, Inc., a medical device company committed to advancing the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease, today announced that its TVC Imaging System™, a first-in-class dual-modality intravascular imaging system, will be featured in eight scientific posters during the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 63rd Annual Scientific Session. The meeting will be held March 29th-31st at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.

PRINCETON, N.J., & NEW YORK (March 27, 2014) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced the results of a pre-specified subanalysis of the Phase 3 ARISTOTLE trial that assessed the effect of blood pressure control on outcomes as well as the treatment effect of Eliquis (apixaban) compared to warfarin according to blood pressure control.1 The results showed that poor blood pressure control was associated with a substantially higher risk of stroke or systemic embolism, independent of Eliquis or warfarin treatment. However, this subanalysis found consistent results for Eliquis versus warfarin in reducing the risk of stroke, regardless of blood pressure control. These data will be presented Saturday, March 29, at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 63rd Annual Scientific Session in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Renal denervation in treatment-resistant hypertensive patients lowered systolic blood pressure by only 2.39 mm Hg, falling short of the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 clinical trial’s superiority margin. Some experts at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session in Washington, D.C., suggested on March 29 that operator experience and no way to ascertain denervation occurred were factors. 

Ladies and gentlemen, start your rrr, rrr, rrr-rivaroxaban? NASCAR, the auto racing aficionado organization, announced that Janssen Pharmaceuticals has become its official cardiovascular partner.