When vessels are stretched and ripped via angioplasty balloon expansion, the exposed soft muscle tissue can lead to the proliferation of scar tissue (neointimal hyperplasia) that can reocclude the vessel. Drug-eluting stents (DES) were introduced in 2003 to overcome this issue with anti-proliferative drugs, the same as used to prevent cellular growth in cancerous tumors.

A trend that was fueled by cardiologists wanting to gain a larger share of reimbursement fees, while at the same time providing more personalized care to their patients, is beginning to fizzle as reimbursements continue to be cut.

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.