The FDA granted a 510(k) clearance on Oct. 6 to the CorPath System for use during PCIs performed via radial access.

For the past few years, the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutic (TCT) conference has focused on structural heart disease as a major subspecialty in interventional cardiology. This year’s conference, which runs from Oct. 10 to 15 in San Francisco, will have more of an emphasis on coronary intervention, according to TCT co-director Gregg W. Stone, MD.

After receiving reports regarding reduced leaflet motion in some bioprosthetic aortic valves, the FDA announced on Oct. 5 that the agency is working with the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and device manufacturers to design clinical studies to evaluate the situation.

The FDA approved the Synergy bioabsorbable polymer drug-eluting stent system on Oct. 5 to treat coronary artery disease. The Synergy stent is the first FDA-approved bioabsorbable polymer drug-eluting stent system, according to Boston Scientific, its manufacturer. The stent was approved in Europe in 2012.

Providing ambulatory heart failure patients with higher doses of beta-blockers significantly improved all-cause death or hospitalization, according to a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. The researchers found increasing the dosage of beta-blockers was more effective than reducing heart rates in this patient population.

Patients with heart failure and major depression who underwent cognitive behavior therapy had improvements in mental health and overall quality of life after six months, according to a randomized trial. However, the intervention did not improve heart failure self-care or physical functioning.

Three major cardiology societies released a new guideline on Sept. 23 to manage adults with all types of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) other than atrial fibrillation.

Medtronic agreed to acquire Lazarus Effect, a medical device company with an acute ischemic stroke product that is approved in Europe but not in the U.S. The deal, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is an all-cash transaction valued at $100 million.