Atrial fibrillation (AF) is independently associated with a higher rate of first-time MI, especially in blacks and women, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.  

Current guidelines recommend a patient-appropriate combination of antiplatelets, beta-blockers (BB), ACE inhibitors (ACEI)/ARB and statins to reduce the risk of MI and death from cardiac causes in all patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but a study published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that more than one-third of these patients did not receive whatever combination would have been appropriate for them. Prescribing practices varied widely, leading to the discrepancies.

The use of an ultrasound device along with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is safe, based on the results of a phase II trial published online Oct. 24 in Stroke.

Boston Scientific completed its acquisition of Bard EP, the electrophysiology unit of C.R. Bard. 

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) is investigating the PLATO clinical trial, Astra Zeneca announced in a financial report.

Digoxin has long been a mainstay in the treatment of systolic heart failure (HF). Recently, however, some studies have called its safety into question after finding the use of the drug in contemporary practice was associated with higher mortality rates.

SAN FRANCISCO—Two third-generation polymer-based drug-eluting stents performed comparably in DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II), an all-comers trial that compared the flexible-design stents. The results were presented Oct. 31 at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics scientific session in San Francisco

High-risk patients who need aortic valve replacements (AVR) with or without CABG may benefit from hospitals that perform a high volume of these procedures, according to a study published in the November issue of Annals of Thoracic Surgery.