New Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) released by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and developed in collaboration with 10 other leading professional societies provides detailed criteria to help clinicians optimize the appropriate use of peripheral vascular ultrasound and physiological testing when caring for patients with known or suspected venous disease.

Southampton Hospital hosted a ground-breaking ceremony on August 12, 2013 to celebrate the beginning of its new Audrey and Martin Gruss Heart and Stroke Center and to honor the Gruss’ extraordinary gift of $5 million to the new facility at the Hospital.  When completed, the Center will provide stroke treatment and carotid stents as needed and will consolidate a broad spectrum of new and sophisticated diagnostic and treatment capabilities with existing cardiovascular programs and services. 

While it is known that hypertension increases the risk of stroke, it is unclear which associated risk factors may predict its occurrence. Research published in the August issue of Hypertension found that retinopathy may be one of those predictive risks.

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who undergo femoral-popliteal bypass may be more likely to need additional intervention than patients treated with angioplasty and stenting, researchers found in a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Patients requiring bypass, they hypothesized, may have more severe disease.

An FDA panel voted unanimously in favor of riociguat, an oral medication for two forms of pulmonary hypertension.

The disparity in ischemic stroke mortality risk between black and white children in the U.S. has diminished over the past decade, and a study published in the August issue of JAMA Pediatrics found that the change may be due to the use of long-term blood transfusion to prevent strokes in children with sickle cell disease. 

The routine use of extended noninvasive cardiac-event monitoring after an acute stroke improves the detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and anticoagulation rates, according to a study published online July 30 in Stroke. This approach can help better prevent strokes and should be included in guidelines for investigating AF after ischemic stroke, according to the authors. 

Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX), a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, has announced that its subsidiary Hotspur Technologies, Inc., which Teleflex acquired in June 2012, received FDA 510(k) clearance to market the company’s ARROW® GPSCath® Balloon Dilatation Catheters in Higher Rated Burst Pressure (RBP) and 80 cm lengths. These novel products enable multiple vascular procedures to be performed with one dual-function catheter, potentially reducing procedure time and expense for both patients and medical professionals.