Using a balloon-expandable valve instead of a self-expandable valve may be a better option among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), based on research presented March 30 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) annual scientific session in Washington, D.C. Researchers found more device success with the balloon-expandable device and similar rates of mortality and complications.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Wasn’t that special? Dana Carvey, of Saturday Night Live, fame treated attendees at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session in Washington, D.C., to an acceptance speech that was part roast and part comedy show on March 29.

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. 

Differences between cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines mean that different proportions of individuals would be eligible for statin therapy, according to results presented March 29 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session in Washington, D.C. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The FDA skipped convening an expert panel after release of positive results for the CoreValve Extreme Risk cohort and later approved the device. Will it do the same for CoreValve as a treatment for patients who are considered at high surgical risk, based on findings presented March 29 at the American College of Cardiology scientific session in Washington, D.C.?

Can treating depression in patients with heart failure help them live longer? That's one of the questions that University of Pittsburgh researchers hope to answer with a new five-year, $7.3 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Today, we’re going to make history,” said 18-year-old Eric Ramos on the day UT Southwestern Medical Center doctors operated on his ailing heart. Eric, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is one of only three patients in the United States with the condition to receive a battery-operated left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to keep his weakening heart pumping blood through his body. He is the first patient in the country to be given a specific, smaller LVAD, which means doctors would not need to manipulate his diaphragm, which could compromise his already limited pulmonary function.

“Today, we’re going to make history,” said 18-year-old Eric Ramos on the day UT Southwestern Medical Center doctors operated on his ailing heart. Eric, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is one of only three patients in the United States with the condition to receive a battery-operated left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to keep his weakening heart pumping blood through his body. He is the first patient in the country to be given a specific, smaller LVAD, which means doctors would not need to manipulate his diaphragm, which could compromise his already limited pulmonary function.