Results of the ULTIMA trial using endovascular therapy to treat submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) were presented at the American College of Cardiology 2013 meeting, The trial is the first randomized controlled trial comparing the use of an endovascular approach along with anticoagulation vs. anticoagulation therapy alone, the current standard of care.

Boston Scientific reports preliminary data in the PREVAIL clinical trial met two out of three co-primary endpoints. The data was supposed to be presented during the 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting on March 9 as the lead-off late breaking trial. However, Boston Scientifc released information about the trial prior to ACC lifting the embargo. As a result of the embargo break, the presentation was pulled off the ACC agenda.

March 14, 2013 — Researchers from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania are showing in a small study that while niacin increased measured levels of HDL-C, it did not improve the functionality of HDL. This may provide an explanation for the failure of niacin to further reduce cardiovascular risk. These study results were reported at the 62nd annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology in San Francisco.

March 13, 2013 — St. Jude Medical Inc. announced the first patient implant in a new pivotal trial evaluating the company’s Amplatzer cardiac plug (ACP) for the prevention of stroke.

http://www.thelancet.comAtherosclerosis is usually considered to be related to contemporary risk factors such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. However, researchers suggest that high prevalence of atherosclerosis in pre-modern humans may support the possibility of a more basic human predisposition to the disease.