July 18, 2014 — Avinger announced that John Pigott, M.D., of Jobst Vascular Institute, Toledo, Ohio, enrolled the first patient in the VISION trial, a global investigational device exemption (IDE) clinical trial approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate the Pantheris catheter for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) launched the Fetal Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity Program.

A study by researchers at CVS Caremark, Aetna and Brigham and Women’s Hospital published in the May issue of Health Affairs, finds that eliminating copays for preventive medications prescribed for post-heart attack patients, can significantly improve medication adherence and health outcomes for non-white patients.

A new physician poster presentation at the Atrial Fibrillation Symposium 19th Annual International Meeting in Orlando, Fla., reports long-term outcomes for the convergent procedure, a multidisciplinary epicardial-endocardial approach to treat patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF)

Surgical aortic valve replacement generally improves patients’ symptoms and prolongs survival. However, the perceived risk of surgical aortic valve replacement in patients over 80 may result in surgery being denied or a recommendation for alternative therapy. Investigators at the Mayo Clinic challenge the way these patients have been managed. They report that repeat sternotomy in patients over 80 who have previously had coronary bypass graft surgery can be done with low risk. T

July 15, 2014 — Chelation treatments reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, and death in patients with diabetes but not in those who did not have diabetes, according to analyses of data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT). However, researchers say more studies are needed before it is known whether this promising finding leads to a treatment option.