Hypertension

High blood pressure increases a patient's risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases. Most people with hypertension have no symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, or high blood pressure, and only about 1 in 4 of those individuals has their hypertension under control. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the epidemic of hypertension world-wide will exceed 1.56 billion people by 2025. Major efforts are underway to better control this primary risk factor through screenings, medication and invasive procedures such as renal denervation in severely uncontrolled patients.

Early pregnancy blood pressure patterns tied to hypertension risk years later
Researchers show certain blood pressure patterns during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy were more likely to develop into hypertension later in life.
ASE updates recommendations for assessing right heart function in patients with pulmonary hypertension
The new guidelines were designed to ensure sonographers and other members of the heart team have the information they need to screen patients when appropriate and identify early warnings signs of PH.
Boston Scientific enters renal denervation market with acquisition worth up to $540M
Boston Scientific has announced another significant M&A deal, scooping up an Israeli medtech company focused on RDN technology.
Cardiovascular societies support Medicare coverage for renal denervation
CMS is expected to release a proposed national coverage determination decision memo by July.
Momentum continues for renal denervation as CMS considers national Medicare coverage
CMS is accepting public comments on the topic for a period of 30 days. Recor Medical and Medtronic have both shared statements in support of the potential policy shift.

Early pregnancy blood pressure patterns tied to hypertension risk years later

Researchers show certain blood pressure patterns during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy were more likely to develop into hypertension later in life.

Standard transthoracic imaging planes for comprehensive right heart assessment. Several key views should be included in the standard echocardiographic assessment of the right heart. Image and caption courtesy of the American Society of Echocardiography.

ASE updates recommendations for assessing right heart function in patients with pulmonary hypertension

The new guidelines were designed to ensure sonographers and other members of the heart team have the information they need to screen patients when appropriate and identify early warnings signs of PH.

Boston Scientific enters renal denervation market with acquisition worth up to $540M

Boston Scientific has announced another significant M&A deal, scooping up an Israeli medtech company focused on RDN technology.

Cardiovascular societies support Medicare coverage for renal denervation

CMS is expected to release a proposed national coverage determination decision memo by July.

Recor Medical's Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System

Momentum continues for renal denervation as CMS considers national Medicare coverage

CMS is accepting public comments on the topic for a period of 30 days. Recor Medical and Medtronic have both shared statements in support of the potential policy shift.

No-contact blood pressure and diabetes screening with AI shows promise

The new technology, still under development, could help physicians screen patients for diabetes and hypertension with high-speed video recordings.

Renal denervation systems from Recor Medical, Medtronic receive new outpatient payments

Both FDA-approved systems previously received inpatient payments in August.

Standing desks gained popularity in recent years, especially once the COVID-19 pandemic had more and more people working from home, but they may not necessarily make that much of a difference.

Standing desks fail to lower blood pressure or minimize heart risks—they may even do damage

Sitting too long can be bad for the heart, but standing desks do not appear to make a difference.