January 30, 2012 — Expanded cholesterol assessment of moderate risk patients can play an important role in identifying and monitoring the progression of atherosclerosis. That’s according to a clinical study that used the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) cholesterol test to analyze lipids potentially associated with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).

January 27, 2012 — Crux Biomedical announced it received CE mark approval for its inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) with bi-directional retrieval (BDR).  Vena cava filters are designed to trap blood clots that can lead to a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (PE).  Each year in the United States, approximately 600,000 patients develop a PE and an estimated 200,000 deaths occur.

January 26, 2012 — Heart Hospital of Austin opened a heart valve clinic, the first of its kind in the region. The clinic gives new hope to patients with severe aortic stenosis who were previously considered inoperable, offering a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating such cases.