Arizona Cardiology Practice Paying $3.85M to Resolve Lawsuit After Data Breach
Cardiovascular Consultants, a Phoenix cardiology practice owned by Fresenius Medical Care, agreed to pay $3.85 million to settle a class‑action lawsuit stemming from a September 2023 data breach. The breach potentially exposed personal data of 500,000 patients and 200 employees, including Social Security numbers. Affected individuals received two years of complimentary identity‑monitoring services. The settlement coincided with Atria Heart’s acquisition of the practice, consolidating it under the private‑equity‑backed Cardiovascular Associates of America platform.
Hospital Sues Cardiology Practice for Alleged Breach of Contract, Ending Years-Long Partnership
Boone Health, a 392‑bed hospital in Columbia, Missouri, has sued its longtime cardiology partner, Missouri Heart Center, alleging breach of a non‑compete clause and refusal to release patient data. The cardiology group intends to exit the partnership in May and...
Impactful Innovations Reshape Learning and Technology at ACC 2026
The American College of Cardiology’s 2026 meeting highlighted AI’s transition from hype to a practical clinical tool, showcasing nearly 200 FDA‑cleared cardiology algorithms and embedding AI into the conference app. Attendees experienced live, mobile CCTA scans with AI‑driven plaque analysis,...
Cost-Related Medication Non-Adherence Declined After the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act provisions that took effect Jan. 1, 2024, capping out‑of‑pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, have led to measurable improvements in medication adherence. A NIH‑funded analysis of the National Health Interview Survey compared 2024 responses with 2021‑2023 data and...
Private Equity-Backed Cardiology Practice Adding New In-House Smart Lab Powered by AI
MyCardiologist, a private‑equity‑backed cardiology network in South Florida, has engaged Clinlab.AI to design and operate its first AI‑powered Smart Laboratory. The in‑house lab will be embedded within the practice’s nine locations, allowing real‑time, AI‑enhanced analysis of cardiac biomarkers and other tests....
FDA Confirms Another Recall for Johnson & Johnson’s Impella Heart Pumps
The FDA has issued a Class I recall for Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s Impella purge cassettes, affecting over 33,000 devices. Leaking cassettes can cause low purge pressure, biomaterial ingress, pump stoppage, and potentially patient death. Four serious injuries have been linked to the...
PCI Before TAVR? In Older CAD Patients, Deferral May Be the Best Approach
New data from the PRO‑TAVI trial, presented at ACC.26 and published in The Lancet, show that deferring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in elderly patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) yields outcomes comparable to performing PCI beforehand. The trial enrolled...
Interventional Cardiologist Roxana Mehran Elected ACC President
Roxana Mehran, MD, an interventional cardiologist and professor at Icahn School of Medicine, began her one‑year term as president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) at the ACC.26 conference in New Orleans. Mehran, a recognized leader in women’s heart health,...
‘Practice-Changing’ Interventional Cardiology Research Grabs ACC.26 Spotlight
Interventional cardiology research presented at ACC.26 highlighted AI‑driven FFRangio, which matched invasive wire‑based fractional flow reserve in a 2,000‑patient ALL‑RISE trial while cutting procedure and fluoroscopy times. The study coincided with Medtronic's agreement to acquire CathWorks for up to $585 million....
Software Errors Lead to Major Insulin Pump Recall—Manufacturer Shares a Fix
Medtronic is recalling 26,851 MiniMed 780G insulin pumps after identifying three software defects across versions 6.60, 6.61 and 6.62. The FDA classified the recall as Class II, indicating temporary health risks if unaddressed. Medtronic’s remedy is a firmware update to version 6.62 and...
Getting Vascular Surgeons More Involved Leads to Key Improvements for PAD Patients
The Society of Vascular Surgery is pushing a heart‑team model that brings vascular surgeons into peripheral artery disease (PAD) discussions, enabling earlier diagnosis and broader treatment options. Dr. William Shutze notes that involving surgeons can shift patients from “no‑option” status...
Cold Weather Responsible for Many More Stroke and Heart Attack Deaths than Heat
A new study presented at ACC.26 reveals that cold weather drives far more cardiovascular deaths in the United States than heat. Analyzing over 14 million deaths across 819 counties from 2000‑2020, researchers found the optimal heart‑health temperature is 74 °F. Temperatures below...
Cardiologists Use Endovascular Device for Brain Aneurysms to Treat High-Risk Heart Patients
Mayo Clinic interventional cardiologists and radiologists have repurposed Terumo's WEB SLS II intrasaccular flow disruptor—originally approved for intracranial bifurcation aneurysms—to treat saccular coronary aneurysms. The first case involved a 74‑year‑old patient undergoing aortic valve replacement and bypass surgery, where the device achieved...
When Heart Patients Can’t Wait: Urgent TAVR with Self-Expanding Vs. Balloon-Expandable Valves
A retrospective analysis of nearly 600 urgent or emergent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures performed between 2012 and 2024 compared Medtronic self‑expanding valves (SEVs) with Edwards balloon‑expandable valves (BEVs). Adjusted Cox regression showed no significant difference in long‑term mortality...
Cleveland Clinic Launches Partnership Focused on AI-Powered TAVR Planning
Cleveland Clinic has entered a two‑phase partnership with Ohio‑based DASI Simulations to validate and co‑develop the AI‑driven platform PrecisionTAVI for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) planning. In the first phase, clinicians compare the tool’s recommendations against standard practice, while the...
New Off-the-Shelf Conduit for CABG Shows Promise in First-in-Human Study
Vascudyne’s acellular tissue‑engineered vessel with external support (ATEV‑ESS) demonstrated early promise as an off‑the‑shelf conduit in a first‑in‑human study. Three patients with multivessel coronary disease received the device; two implants remained patent at 12 months with no thrombus or major...
Early Use of Tirzepatide After Heart Attack or Stroke Linked to Key Cardiovascular Benefits
A real‑world propensity‑matched study of 1,666 non‑diabetic patients found that initiating tirzepatide within 14 days of an acute myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke cut the risk of emergency‑room visits, hospitalizations, acute kidney injury, repeat stroke and heart‑failure admission over two...
9 Ways Cardiovascular IT Systems Can Improve Your Day-to-Day Workflow
The article outlines nine ways modern cardiovascular information systems (CVIS) streamline cardiology workflows, from single‑point data entry to integrated analytics. It highlights automation of charge capture, inventory tracking, and auto‑generated reporting that reduce manual entry and speed documentation. Integrated imaging...
FDA-Approved Surgical Aortic Valve Implanted for First Time in US
Corcym’s next‑generation Perceval Plus LANCELOT surgical aortic valve received FDA approval in May 2025. In September 2025, a CHI Health team performed the first U.S. implantation, and the patient fully recovered. The valve adds laser‑cut leaflets, thread holes, and a zero‑pressure fixation...
EP Advocacy Group Details 6 Key Policy Issues
Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA) outlined six policy issues that could shape electrophysiology in 2026, led by Medicare payment reform and a new 2.5% efficiency adjustment that threatens physician reimbursement. The group highlighted a reintroduced Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization...
Acute Kidney Injury After TAVR: Key Risk Factors Every Cardiologist Should Know
A meta‑analysis of 10,353 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients found that 21.7% develop acute kidney injury (AKI). The study identified eight independent predictors, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, prior stroke, chronic kidney disease, elevated serum creatinine,...
FDA Approves JenaValve TAVR System for Aortic Regurgitation
JenaValve received FDA clearance for its Trilogy Transcatheter Heart Valve System, marking the first TAVR device expressly approved to treat symptomatic, severe aortic regurgitation (AR). The approval follows the ALIGN‑AR trial, which demonstrated the valve’s safety and efficacy in a...
New Obesity Statistics Highlight Importance of Preventive Cardiology
A new WalletHub analysis ranks Little Rock, Arkansas as the nation’s most overweight city, followed by McAllen, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. The report evaluated 100 U.S. metro areas on adult and child obesity, cardiovascular health, food access and fitness, confirming...
Imaging Evaluations and PCI Planning: Heartflow Announces ‘Tremendous Progress’ for AI Portfolio
Heartflow announced that its AI‑enabled Plaque Analysis software will be highlighted in three ACC.26 presentations, showcasing data from a 15,000‑patient CCTA registry that predicts major adverse cardiovascular events. A separate DECIDE registry of nearly 3,800 patients demonstrated that AI‑guided care...
Heart Failure Hospitalizations After PCI: A Warning Sign of ‘Exceptionally High Risk’
A new JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions study of over 10,000 PCI patients in Japan found that heart‑failure hospitalizations occur in 4.7% of cases and are linked to a 25% two‑year mortality rate. By contrast, acute coronary syndrome and major bleeding showed...
New Dyslipidemia Guideline Puts Add-On Testing, Early Screening in the Spotlight
The latest dyslipidemia guideline introduces the PREVENT risk calculator, enabling clinicians to personalize ASCVD risk using routine health data and specific risk enhancers. It expands recommendations to include non‑contrast coronary artery calcium scans, as well as Lp(a) and apoB testing,...
CRT 2026: Key Takeaways for Interventional Cardiologists
The Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) 2026 meeting showcased a suite of late‑breaking interventional cardiology studies, ranging from long‑term TAVR versus SAVR outcomes to novel radiation‑shielding devices. A seven‑year PARTNER 3 substudy found comparable health‑status results for low‑risk patients after TAVR and...
Apixaban Bests Rivaroxaban in New DOAC Comparison
A head‑to‑head trial (COBRRA) of 2,700 acute VTE patients found apixaban significantly lowers bleeding risk compared with rivaroxaban, while maintaining similar efficacy in preventing recurrent clots. Patients received standard dosing regimens for three months, with apixaban showing a 3.3% composite...
Prior Authorization May Reduce Access to Important Heart Failure Drugs
A new JACC: Advances study finds prior‑authorization requirements hinder access to guideline‑recommended heart‑failure drugs, affecting 12.2% of ARNI and 14.3% of SGLT2i prescriptions. The barriers are disproportionately faced by younger, Black and Hispanic patients with non‑Medicare insurance. Authorization delays extend...
FDA Clears Intravascular Device Billed as ‘World’s Smallest Camera’ as Physicians Share New Data
Vena Medical secured FDA clearance for its Vena MicroAngioscope System, marketed as the world’s smallest intravascular camera, for peripheral artery imaging. The device provides real‑time color images without X‑ray fluoroscopy by pairing a balloon distal access catheter with a saline...
Shortage of Cardiac Amyloidosis Radiotracers Should Ease in Late March
The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) announced that the nationwide shortage of technetium‑99m radiotracers used to diagnose transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis is expected to ease by late March. Curium, a key supplier, has already released a PYP lot in mid‑February...
FDA Clears New Large-Bore Catheter for Challenging Stroke Cases
Toro Neurovascular has obtained FDA clearance for its Toro 88 Superbore Catheter, a large‑bore device engineered for challenging stroke interventions. The catheter promises enhanced support, trackability, and stability, addressing the time‑sensitive nature of neurovascular procedures. UCLA interventional neuroradiologist Dr. Satoshi Tateshima...
Vascular Surgeons Deliver Major Value in Terms of Patient Outcomes and Health System Profitability
A new meta‑analysis of 29 clinical trials shows that involving vascular surgeons in multidisciplinary care consistently improves patient outcomes, including lower blood loss, fewer complications, and reduced amputation rates. The studies also reveal a strong financial upside: vascular surgery contributes...
A ‘Disquieting Plateau’: Healthcare Costs Are up, but Survival Among Heart Patients Stays the Same
A new JACC analysis shows that U.S. cardiovascular mortality, which fell sharply from 2000 to 2011, has essentially stalled since 2011, hovering around 224 deaths per 100,000. During the same period, spending on cardiovascular care more than tripled, rising from...
Shockwave Medical’s New Coronary IVL Catheter, Now Twice as Fast, Impresses After 30 Days
Shockwave Medical, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech unit, unveiled a next‑generation coronary intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter that operates at 2 Hz, delivering ten pulses in five seconds—twice the speed of its current 1 Hz system. Early data from the multicenter Disrupt CAD...
Nearly Half of All Surgeons Have Considered Leaving the Profession Due to Burnout
A Johnson & Johnson MedTech survey of 1,500 surgeons across five countries reveals that 43% have considered leaving surgery, rising to 65% among those experiencing burnout. Only 36% report positive mental health, while family‑time strain (48%), administrative burdens (47%) and long hours (44%)...
Medtronic to Acquire Medtech Company Scientia Vascular for $550M
Medtronic announced a $550 million acquisition of Salt Lake City‑based Scientia Vascular, a developer of FDA‑cleared guidewires and catheters for complex cerebral procedures. The transaction includes potential milestone payments that could raise the total consideration. Scientia, with over 300 employees, will...
Next-Generation Guide Extension Catheter Delivers Value During Complex PCI
A new guide extension catheter, CrossFAST, received FDA clearance in December 2024 and has shown improved efficiency and safety in complex percutaneous coronary interventions. Early clinical experience with four patients demonstrated rapid, deep coronary intubation without balloon‑assisted tracking, reducing dissection risk...
AATS Wants to Improve Research in the Field of Cardiothoracic Surgery
The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) has forged a partnership with the NHLBI‑backed Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN) to accelerate practice‑changing clinical trials. CTSN’s existing infrastructure, which has already enrolled about 20,000 patients, will be leveraged to support new,...
Moderate Valve Oversizing During TAVR Boosts Survival—Too Much May Be Less Beneficial
A recent study of over 1,800 TAVR patients (2020‑2025) found that moderate valve oversizing of 10 %‑20 % independently reduced all‑cause mortality, while minimal (<10 %) and severe (≥20 %) oversizing showed no survival benefit. Procedural outcomes, including stroke and vascular complications, were similar...
Cardiology Now Has More than 200 FDA-Cleared AI Algorithms
An updated FDA registry shows cardiology now hosts more than 200 cleared AI algorithms, including 140 directly listed under the specialty and an additional 63 imaging‑focused tools. The total number of FDA‑cleared clinical AI applications reached 1,451, with radiology still...
FDA Clears AI-Enabled Cardiac MR Planning Technology From Philips
Philips received FDA clearance for SmartHeart, an AI‑driven planning solution that automates cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) exam setup in under 30 seconds. The system configures 14 standard views, reduces patient breath‑holds by up to 75%, and embeds motion‑correction (Cardiac MoCo)...
High-Sensitivity Troponin Protocol Most Successful at Freestanding EDs
A new RACE‑IT study of 32,609 chest‑pain patients shows that a high‑sensitivity troponin protocol enables far faster discharge in freestanding emergency departments than in hospital EDs. Using an accelerated one‑hour rule‑out pathway, 95 % of low‑risk patients left freestanding sites safely,...
Cardiologists Develop New AI Screening Tool for Structural Heart Disease
Columbia University cardiologists unveiled EchoNext, an AI algorithm that analyzes standard electrocardiograms to screen for structural heart disease such as severe aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation and heart failure. In a published JACC case report, the tool flagged an asymptomatic 84‑year‑old...
AI Spots Heart and Lung Conditions in Eye Images of Premature Infants
Researchers have developed a deep‑learning algorithm that reads retinal photographs taken during routine retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screenings to flag serious lung and heart conditions in preterm infants. In a study of 493 infants across seven NICUs, the model achieved...
New AI-Enabled Heart Failure Implant Shows Early Potential
Relief Cardiovascular unveiled its AI‑enabled Relief System, an implantable valve and sensor that modulates inferior vena cava pressure to boost renal perfusion in diuretic‑resistant heart‑failure patients. In the first‑in‑human RELIEF‑FIH study of eight European participants, the device achieved 100% procedural...
Cardiologists Perform First TAVR of Its Kind by Anchoring Valve to Crushed Stent
Interventional cardiologists performed the first ATLAS transcatheter aortic valve replacement, anchoring a Sapien 3 valve to a crushed Palmaz stent in a 75‑year‑old woman with severe non‑calcified aortic regurgitation and prior aortic dissection. The heart team selected the non‑coronary cusp for...
Johnson & Johnson Launches 3 New Stroke Devices
Johnson & Johnson MedTech launched three new stroke devices—Cereglide 42 and Cereglide 57 aspiration catheters and the Innerglide 7 delivery aid—expanding its aspiration‑first portfolio. The catheters feature a multi‑axial shaft, radiopaque tips and hydrophilic coating to improve navigation of distal clots. Innerglide 7 provides...
FDA Approves Next-Generation CardioMEMS Reader for Heart Failure Monitoring
Abbott received FDA approval for its next‑generation CardioMEMS HERO reader, a pulmonary artery pressure device for heart‑failure patients. The HERO unit is 60% lighter than earlier readers and incorporates built‑in Wi‑Fi and cellular connectivity, allowing measurements anywhere. The upgrade builds on...
AI Helps Identify Risk in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
Survival rates for congenital heart disease (CHD) have risen, creating an estimated 1.4 million adult patients who often require repeat surgeries. At the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting, Mayo Clinic researchers presented a machine‑learning model that isolates 15 key variables...
