The Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to results published in a research letter in the Jan. 22-29 issue of JAMA.

Déjà vu? A federal jury determined that Medtronic’s CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device infringed on a patent owned by Edwards Lifesciences, a finding Medtronic indicated it would appeal. The jury awarded Edwards Lifesciences $394 million in damages.

Medtronic announced on Jan. 17 that the FDA had approved its CoreValve System for patients with severe aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement, based on results from the CoreValve Extreme Risk clinical trial. Co-principal investigator Jeffrey J. Popma, MD, director of interventional cardiology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, talked with Cardiovascular Business about the impact of the FDA’s decision.

Antibiotics may increase the risk of excessive anticoagulation among patients with warfarin, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Internal Medicine. The absolute risk, however, was low.

Three common carotid stenting systems used in the U.S. were associated with low rates of adverse events, a study published online Jan. 15 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions found.

The FDA gave CoreValve its blessing, approving the device in patients with severe aortic stenosis who are considered too high risk of death for standard open-heart surgery and instead undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is making a draft report that assessed cardiovascular procedures and their subsequent effect on cognitive function available for public review.

An FDA advisory panel voted 10-0 with one abstention against approval of the oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban to reduce the risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome.