Cardiologists rely on evidence from clinical trials to make treatment decisions yet the evidence may be in discord with what they encounter in practice. And in practice, they may be reluctant to stick with the selection criteria used in clinical trials.

Medtronic acquired NGC Medical for $350 million, a transaction that will give Medtronic access to cardiovascular managed services in about 30 hospitals in Italy with possible expansion in Europe, Africa and the Mideast.

Stroke patients admitted to specialized units on the weekend have better outcomes when there is a higher registered nurse-to-bed ratio, according to a study published Aug. 19 in PLOS Medicine.

The title “VEGF proliferation in cardiac cells contributes to vascular declension” may sound like rubbish to any cardiologist, but to the publishers who bought the once reputable Experimental and Clinical Cardiology journal, it means cha-ching. In an investigation on predatory publishers, the Ottawa Citizen saw its spoof submission make print in the journal after paying $1,200. 

E-cigarettes should fall under the same regulatory rules as tobacco products, stated the American Heart Association (AHA) in a position paper. The AHA called for strong laws and strategies to dissuade children from using these products, the lead author told Cardiovascular Business.

Bringing quality healthcare to remote areas is not only feasible but sustainable. In Germany, a telestroke network launched in 2003 demonstrated progressive improvement over a decade, according to an article published online Aug. 21 in Stroke.

Yet another analysis shows that cardiologists’ compensation took a dive, which may not come as a surprise to the physicians who noticed their pay checks shrinking in the past year or two. At the same time, efforts to reduce cardiovascular disease are beginning to pay off.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither is improvement for global cardiac health. Europe’s cardiovascular disease and stroke mortality rates have improved, but not unilaterally, according to a report published Aug. 19 in the European Heart Journal.