Clinical

This channel newsfeed includes clinical content on treating patients or the clinical implications in a variety of cardiac subspecialties and disease states. The channel includes news on cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, heart failure, electrophysiology, hypertension, structural heart disease, use of pharmaceuticals, and COVID-19.

Joysticks recalled after power wheelchairs move on their own, injuring a patient
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of Mo-Vis BVBA joysticks after a faulty firmware version was linked to the malfunction. Users will need to have their devices upgraded.
FDA approves nasal spray for edema associated with congestive heart failure
The newly approved intranasal loop diuretic can also be used to treat edema in patients with liver and kidney disease.
Cardiologists lead charge for medical device approvals in Europe to be more rigorous
There is a belief among some clinicians that it is too easy for companies to gain CE mark approval for their medical devices. However, a new proposal from the European Society of Cardiology and other groups could help change that.
Medline recalls surgical kits due to safety concern with Medtronic catheters
The FDA is warning the public that certain Medline surgical kits may contain catheters that have been linked to 41 customer complaints and three serious injuries.
COVID-induced neuroinflammation can last 2 years or longer, according to new PET data
These findings are important to consider with regard to patients’ long-term health, as chronic inflammation has been implicated in cognitive decline.

FDA approves world’s smallest pacemaker with AV synchrony

Medtronic announced Jan. 21 it had received FDA approval for its Micra AV device—the world’s smallest pacemaker with atrioventricular synchrony.

How 7 North Carolina clinics increased patient use of statins by 349%

A two-year collaboration between the North Carolina chapter of the American College of Cardiology and North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics was successful in providing thousands of underserved heart patients with free lipid-lowering therapy and clopidogrel.

The most physically inactive states, ranked

More than 15% of adults in all U.S. states and territories were physically inactive between 2015 and 2018, according to recent data from the CDC, with estimates ranging from 17.3% to 47.7% between regions.

Experimental hemophilia drug could be the most expensive in the world

Biotech company BioMarin Pharmaceutical is considering a price point of between $2 million and $3 million for its novel experimental gene therapy for hemophilia patients, the Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 16.

More than 2M heart patients use marijuana

A review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology this month suggests that an excess of 2 million patients with cardiovascular disease also use marijuana.

Transcendental meditation helps prevent LV hypertrophy in hypertensive black patients

Black patients at a heightened risk for heart disease cut their CV mortality risk by 11% in a study that explored the cardiac benefits of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Mechanical hyperventilation could streamline cardiac ablation

A medical technique that involves safely hyperventilating conscious, unmedicated patients could facilitate the use of radiotherapy for cardiac ablation, according to research published in Frontiers in Physiology.

Smoking hookah may increase risk of thrombosis

A mouse study has revealed that smoking hookah—inhaling tobacco through a long water pipe—can cause blood to function abnormally and clot.

Clinical

Joysticks recalled after power wheelchairs move on their own, injuring a patient

FDA approves nasal spray for edema associated with congestive heart failure

Cardiologists lead charge for medical device approvals in Europe to be more rigorous

Medline recalls surgical kits due to safety concern with Medtronic catheters

COVID-induced neuroinflammation can last 2 years or longer, according to new PET data