Promising substitutes for human hearts
Fully implantable mechanical hearts bring hope to 121,000 heart failure patients who will never receive a heart transplant
Cardiovascular diseases
European approval for advanced SAPIEN 3 Valve
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced that it has received CE Mark in Europe and is initiating the launch of its most advanced transcatheter aortic valve, the Edwards SAPIEN 3 valve.
New AF classification by ECG will deliver personalised treatment
Despite the availability of cardioversion, ablation and medications to treat AF, outcomes are often poor because it is unclear which patients will benefit most. A new classification of atrial fibrillation (AF) by electrocardiogram (ECG) is set to be developed by European experts to aid personalised management of this devastating condition.
Characterising plaques with millimetre-waves
The Plaque-CharM project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is to develop novel sensor technology that can characterise arterial tissue in the smallest space – the tip of a catheter.
From MIS to optimally invasive cardiac surgery
Since minimally invasive surgery (MIS) entered cardiac surgery in the mid-1990s it became unthinkable not to use this medical specialty. However, MIS procedures do not always result in the best outcome for patients.
Esaote showcases new Prevention Suite at EuroEcho 2013
Prevention Suite’s four combined imaging technologies enables practical pre-clinical assessment of cardiovascular disease risk .
Trinity Biotech hits high mark for cardiac test
Ahead of regulatory approval that is expected before the end of the year, Trinity Biotech chose Medica to present the novel point-of-care (POC) analyzer Meritas with the Troponin I (TnI) that are expected to disrupt a €700 million market.
Extra-aortic counter pulsation
The C-Pulse, manufactured by Australian-American company Sunshine Heart, Inc. is neither a pulsatile artificial heart nor one of the well-known non-pulsatile left heart support systems
Heart failure
About 500,000 people in France people suffer heart failure (HF). In Europe the figure is six million and the same in the USA.
Personal shear rate therapy
In 1839 Richard Thoma was the first to observe that arteries respond to flow: he identified a fundamental relationship between blood flow and arterial calibre.
Renal denervation
A new procedure may help people with persistent hypertension. By burning or ablating the nerves in the renal arteries, blood pressure levels can be reduced significantly.
Cardiac disease death rates fall in the EU
Death rates from cardiac disease have more than halved in many EU countries since the early 1980s, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal.
Cardiology drives innovation
‘Cardiology is one of the most innovative medical disciplines. Many modern technologies, such as catheterisations or imaging procedures, were triggered by cardiology,’ declared Professor Dr Gerald Maurer MD.
TAVI will surpass heart surgery for aortic valve replacement
Each year the case grows stronger for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI). And it is only six years since the procedure was introduced in Europe.
Article • Healing hearts 1
Bioresorbable stents
Cardiologists believe they can restore coronary arteries thanks to a new generation of stents that help the body to strengthen collapsed vessels. Elsewhere, patients’ own stem cells are being programmed to rebuild cardiac muscle in HF patients.
CoreValve banned, Edwards assures valve implants for German patients
An injunction against the sale of Medtronic's CoreValve and CoreValve Evolut systems in Germany went into effect as Edwards Lifesciences posted the bond required the District Court of Mannheim.
Article • Healing hearts 2
Stem cell cocktails
Nothing new has been invented in heart failure in the last 15 years, according to Christian Homsy, CEO of Belgian-based Cardio3 Biosciences. This explains the excitement surrounding an emerging treatment among cardiologists, patients and investors.
Enhancement in minimally-invasive treatment of heart rhythm disorders
The Catharina Hospital (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) and Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced the results of a clinical study involving the treatment of 136 patients with complex heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation (AF).
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
The potential of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) is still largely untapped. One novel application might be ablation follow-up. The first MRI-guided cardiac interventions were performed at Herzzentrum Leipzig, but, as far as coronary imaging is concerned, MDCT remains superior to MRI
CT will remain an imaging heavyweight
Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice for many diagnostic issues. Whilst currently its major strength is the visualisation of anatomical detail, future technological improvements may also reduce radiation exposure.
Minimally invasive stents show some advantages over bypass
Compared to open bypass, stenting keeps circulation flowing longer in some patients, small study concludes.
Don´t worry, be healthy
People with cheerful temperaments are significantly less likely to suffer a coronary event such as a heart attack or sudden cardiac death, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
New ESC Cardiac Pacing and Resynchronization Guidelines
The 2013 ESC Guidelines on Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy¹ developed in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), have created a new classification system for bradyarrhythmias according to mechanisms rather than aetiology.
From bad breath to cardiac infarction
More than half of Germany’s population aged between 18 and 74 years cannot show off a gapless set of teeth, and that’s similar in France and worse only in Poland, according to a 2012 study, which also investigated oral hygiene.
The first human implantations of bioprosthetic artificial hearts
CARMAT, the designer and developer of the world’s most advanced project of total artificial heart, announces today that it has obtained the approval of four renowned international cardiac surgery centers in Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia to proceed with the first clinical implantations of its bioprosthetic total artificial heart.
