The FDA once again issued a recall on Ranbaxy’s generic statin, this time after a pharmacist spotted a 20-mg tablet in a sealed bottle of atorvastatin calcium at 10 mg doses.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW), the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, today announced the successful completion of the first three human implants of its FORTIS mitral transcatheter heart valve, which were performed in February and March by the Heart Team at St. Thomas' Hospital in London.

A newer generation cryoballoon allowed for shorter ablation procedures with a high success rate in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation compared with the first-generation device but it also had a higher rate of phrenic nerve palsy, a serious complication, in a study published in the March issue of HeartRhythm.

An updated review for the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) found evidence in favor of ultrasonography screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in elderly men. A review of four randomized clinical trials showed reduced rupture rates and mortality benefits with screening.

An analysis of HeartMate II left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) published in the March 11 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that preoperative risk factors for bleeding and thrombotic events vary depending on patient demographics, including age, sex, body mass index and the cause of heart failure.

An article by Bloomberg News claims that the cath lab at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City has sent patients with previously scheduled appointments through its emergency department (ED), a practice that may allow for uninsured patients’ costs to be covered. The hospital has not been accused of any wrong-doing and hospital officials said they are reviewing issues related to the allegations.

In the latest in a battle between the titans in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the European Patent Office invalidated a patent at the heart of Edwards Lifesciences’ infringement case against Medtronic.

The rate of in-hospital major bleeding events among non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients varies considerably between facilities, researchers found in a study published online March 4 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, but the reasons behind the majority of cases remain unclear.