Butterfly Network and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have announced a collaboration on a clinical trial to use ultrasound technology for at-home scanning.

Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery are at a higher risk of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) up to 10 years after the procedure, a study published in Circulation has found. The authors of the study, Umberto Benedetto (Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK) et al, suggest that the findings highlight the need to revisit the notion that postoperative AF is a transient, benign complication, and that patients with postoperative AF should be considered for stricter surveillance and heart rhythm monitoring.

AngelMed has announced the first implant of the next-generation AngelMed Guardian system as part of the ALERTS-Continued Access Study. The AngelMed Guardian is an implantable, patient alerting system designed to warn patients to seek medical attention for acute coronary syndromes (ACSs).

Vascular surgeons are being encouraged to take consideration of a set of talking points about the risks and benefits of paclitaxel-equipped devices—which has developed by a multispecialty panel of medical societies—in discussions with their patients

Medtronic has announced that it has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for new one-month of dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) labelling with an expanded indication for high bleeding risk (HBR) patients implanted with the Resolute Onyx drug-eluting stent (DES). The Resolute Onyx DES is the first-and-only DES in the USA that has been proven safe and effective utilising a one-month regimen of DAPT—the combination of aspirin and an anticoagulant—following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients at high bleeding risk.

Cardiac Dimensions has closed a US$17.5 million series C financing round which will be used to accelerate commercial sales of its Carillon mitral contour system in Europe and allow for expansion into other geographies such as Australia.

Boston Scientific has today announced it has initiated a controlled launch of the Acurate neo2 aortic valve system in Europe. This next-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) technology is a new platform designed with a number of features to improve upon the clinical performance of the original Acurate neo platform.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) device selection should be guided by patient, anatomic, and device-specific factors, a review of the considerations for optimal device choice in aortic valve stenosis has concluded. Key factors to be considered include the likelihood of paravalvular leak (PVL), conduction abnormalities, coronary reaccess, long-term durability, and valve reintervention.

Medtronic has received Breakthrough Device Designation status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Tyrx absorbable antibacterial driveline wrap, which is intended to securely hold a percutaneous driveline in patients receiving a ventricular assist device (VAD).

After surviving a heart attack, the proportion of patients who experience a repeat attack within a year fell between 2008 and 2017, with a greater decline in women than men, according to new research published in the journal Circulation. Despite the improvement, the rate of recurrent heart attacks, hospitalisation for heart failure, and death remains high in heart attack survivors, the study finds.

Abbott has today announced it has received CE mark approval for its fourth-generation MitraClip transcatheter mitral valve repair system. Known as MitraClip G4, the device is now approved for use in Europe and other regions that recognise CE mark as a non-surgical option for the treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR), or a leaky heart valve. The device is already approved for use in the USA.

A study of US Medicare patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has found that the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) resulted in a lower long-term mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeat revascularisation. However, the study by Amgad Mentias (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, USA) and colleagues, published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, also found that overall use of IVUS guidance cases was low, having been used in just 5.6% of all PCI patients “with a wide variation of its use among different facilities”.