December 21, 2010 – A once-daily, three-in-one combination blood pressure treatment has been approved in Germany. Sevikar HCT, from Daiichi Sankyo Europe, combines olmesartan medoxomil, amlodipine, and hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) in one pill to help control hypertension.

December 17, 2010 – Data published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions showed that a protein used with coronary stents significantly reduced two key biomarkers of cardiac damage in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). VT-111, a protein produced by the myxoma virus, was used by Viron Therapeutics.

December 17, 2010 – An ultrasound contrast agent is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in stress echocardiography. Lantheus Medical Imaging recently submitted a supplemental new drug application for its Definity (Perflutren Lipid Microsphere) Injectable Suspension.

December 17, 2010 – The first truly detachable hydrogel polymer embolic device is now available nationwide. The AZUR Peripheral HydroCoil 35 platinum coil embolization system, from Terumo Interventional Systems, is designed for treating high-flow and challenging blood vessels, vascular malformations and aneurysms.

December 16, 2010 – A system designed to improve acute coronary syndrome (ACS) revascularization following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has received CE Mark.

December 15, 2010 – A guest editorial in the new publication Clinical Investigation highlights dabigatran etexilate as an alternative to warfarin for long-term stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.