November 21, 2011 - Frank J. Veith, M.D., founder and chairman of the VEITH symposium, the William J. von Liebig Chair in Vascular Surgery, Cleveland Clinic and New York University Medical Center, took a strong position against the current guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA) that support the use of carotid artery stenting (CAS), as opposed to the more traditional open carotid endarterectomy (CEA), to treat symptomatic carotid stenosis (CS) in low to moderate risk patients. Veith explained to an audience of his peers that an important clinical trial for CAS, the CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stent Trial), had results that appeared to show that the stent procedure (CAS) and the open surgical approach (CEA) were equivalent. Veith argued that the study was in fact flawed in several ways and that the AHA guideline was misguided.

November 18, 2011 – Boston Scientific’s Watchman left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device has been implanted in the first patients in Latin America. The device is designed for use in patients in atrial fibrillation who are at risk for stroke and are eligible for long-term oral anticoagulation therapy such as warfarin. Watchman is intended to prevent embolization of thrombi that may form in the LAA, thereby preventing the occurrence of ischemic stroke and systemic thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The first patient implants were performed by Bernardo Caicedo, M.D., interventional cardiologist, at Angiografia de Occidente in Cali, Colombia.

November 18, 2011 – The first comprehensive report to review timing of treatment for patients with blockages in more than one coronary artery recommends a flexible approach that meets individual patient’s needs. The report was issued today by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and is published online in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions.

November 18, 2011 – Stroke remains a major healthcare problem; it currently ranks as the third most common cause of death in Western nations, and this is only expected to increase as the population ages. For this reason, early identification of symptoms that are known predictors of stroke is a topic that was addressed with great deliberation and discussion at the 2011 VEITH symposium.

November 18, 2011 – An analysis of the TRITON-TIMI 38 trial presented today in an oral session at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions meeting examined the effect of Effient (prasugrel) on cardiovascular (CV) events (CV death, myocardial infarction [MI] and stroke) compared to clopidogrel relative to the timing of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

November 16, 2011 — MedSolutions announced the launch of its Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Surgery Management Program. The system uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure the clinical appropriateness of ICD and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation and directs members to the most qualified physicians and facilities.