According to the American Heart Association (AHA), arrhythmias afflict more than 4 million patients and results in approximately half a million deaths each year in the United States. Electrocardiography (ECG) measurements, which record and interpret cardiac electrical activity over time, are widely used to detect abnormal heart rhythms.

In August Daiichi Sankyo and Eli Lilly and Company launched U.S. sales of Effient (prasugrel), a new antiplatelet medication to prevent stent thrombosis, which clinical studies show to be more effective and better tolerated than Plavix (clopidogrel).

Stenting of lesions at coronary vessel bifurcations is one of the most challenging percutaneous interventions, along with a high risk of procedural complications and restenosis. Several companies are developing specialized bifurcation stents to help make the job easier. Currently there are no dedicated bifurcation stents with FDA clearance.

Over the past year several new drug-eluting stents (DES) stents have been released and SYNTAX trial data proved DES compare as well as coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) in patient outcomes. DES vs. CABG

The polymer coating on drug-eluting stents (DES) used to carry the antiproliferative drugs cause an increased risk of stent thrombosis, months or even years after a stent is implanted. This has led stent manufacturers to look for or ways to eliminate the vessel irritating polymers for better biocompatibility usually associated with bare metal stents (BMS).