Abbott announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The company calls it the world's first medical device that can be implanted in the tiniest babies (weighing as little as two pounds) using a minimally invasive procedure to treat PDA. The Amplatzer Piccolo, a device even smaller than a small pea, now offers hope to premature infants and newborns who need corrective treatment, and who may be non-responsive to medical management and high risk to undergo corrective surgery.

Research suggests that a gene that governs the body’s biological (circadian) clock acts differently in males versus females and may protect females from heart disease. The study is the first to analyze circadian blood pressure rhythms in female mice. The research was published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology — Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

The American Society of Echocardiography Foundation (ASEF) has partnered with WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, to provide women with important information to help them better navigate the often complicated process of living with heart disease. ASEF has become a sponsor of WomenHeart’s Red Bag of Courage educational program that delivers heart health materials directly into the hands of women who need it most.

Starting in spring 2019, Triton College’s Vascular Technology in Sonography Certificate Program will help working sonographers and recent Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program graduates gain new skills and increase job opportunities.