The FDA approved the combo tablet ezetimibe and atorvastatin for the treatment of elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients with primary or mixed hyperlipidemia.

Patients who undergo repair of acute aortic dissection by surgeons who average less than one case a year are almost twice as likely to die in the hospital than patients whose surgeons average five or more cases annually, according to an analysis published in the May issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Hospital volume also predicted mortality in the study.

Results from a randomized clinical trial comparing catheter ablation with rate control in patients with heart failure and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) found peak oxygen consumption increased significantly in the ablation group.

Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), today announced the completion of patient enrollment in the CHILL-MI clinical study designed to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the company’s InnerCool RTx endovascular cooling system in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).  

The FDA granted 510(k) clearance to InterValve to market its V8 Aortic Valvuloplasty Balloon Catheter.

Four research centers will develop high-impact culturally tailored interventions aimed at lowering stroke risk among racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Together the centers are expected to receive $40 million in funding over five years, contingent on the availability of funds from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Today, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) announces the appointment of Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS, as the new editor-in-chief of HeartRhythm, the official journal of HRS. Effective January 2014, Dr. Chen will replace Douglas Zipes, MD, FHRS, who will have served as editor-in-chief for ten years after founding the Journal in 2004.

I distrust small numbers. Still, a recent review published in the Journal of Neurosurgery warrants attention. The analysis tracked outcomes of patients on dabigatran who were admitted to a trauma center over a four-month period for closed head injuries after ground-level falls.