October 5, 2009 – In a breakthrough development that could dramatically reduce the number of leg amputations and painful bypass graft surgeries performed annually on European patients, a first-of-its kind drug-eluting stent for a widespread form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is now available to physicians throughout the European Union.

October 5, 2009 – Boston Scientific released its CE-marked, next-generation iLab System Software for the iLab Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Imaging System during TCT 2009, which includes iMap tissue characterization, similar to Volcano’s Virtual Histology IVUS. The company said it is awaiting FDA clearance for the software.

October 5, 2009 – A new analysis reaffirms that Lexiscan (regadenoson) Injection, the first selective A2A adenosine receptor agonist approved for use as a pharmacologic stress agent in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in patients unable to undergo adequate exercise stress, requires infrequent use of the drug aminophylline to reverse its effect in the case of adverse events.

October 2, 2009 – Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in the evaluation of patients with heart failure (HF) “will expand substantially in the coming years,” according to the authors of a study published in October 2009 issue of the Journal of American College of Cardiology.