The risk of infective endocarditis rises alongside concomitant use of injected opioids, a team of researchers in Ontario, Canada, has found.

The use of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) systems continues to grow rapidly nearly six years after the FDA approved the U.S.'s first such treatment, according to research published in the American Journal of Cardiology. In contrast, rates of surgical mitral valve repair (SMVR) have remained steady.

Patients with severe aortic regurgitation (AR) may be better off receiving valve operations before symptoms appear that “trigger” guideline recommendations for these surgeries, according to a new study in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

A single-center study with more than a decade of follow-up supports the long-term efficacy of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure for the prevention of recurrent ischemic events, showing only 1 percent of patients had an ischemic stroke and 2.9 percent experienced a transient ischemic attack.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), even in its moderate stages, is associated with an increased risk of aortic stenosis, according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Abbott plans to acquire Cephea Valve Technologies, a company developing a transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) device, the Chicago-area healthcare giant announced Jan. 16.

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has partnered with veterinary cardiologist Masami Uechi, DVM, PhD, to launch the country’s first open heart surgery program for dogs later this year.

The FDA has approved the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder as a minimally invasive treatment option for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in newborns weighing as little as two pounds. According to its manufacturer, Abbott, it is the first such device in the world to be approved for babies so small.