The FDA approves Boehringer Ingelheim’s MICARDIS® (telmisartan) as the first treatment in its class to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes in patients at high cardiovascular risk who are unable to take ACE inhibitors. This new indication is based on The ONTARGET Trial results which showed that MICARDIS® may prevent one in five serious CV events or death from cardiac causes.

Researchers have indicated that an enzyme found in coronary plaques may be responsible for significant number of cardiac patients suffering from heart attacks and stroke, despite the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs. The enzyme makes plaque more vulnerable to rupture and block blood flow. According to new research, the drug darapladib, taken in adjunct to the treatment of statin drugs, may offer a way to fight that risk as it safely and effectively lowers the activity of the Lp-PLA2 enzyme.

Photo by Patrick J. Lynch

 Medtronic Inc. has received CE marking approval for the Defender embolic protection filter to be used during minimally invasive procedures in carotid arteries and saphenous vein grafts. The filter acts as a basket during the stenting procedure, allowing sufficient blood flow while trapping embolic debris. Without this protection, the debris can flow into other portions of blood vessels and lead to stroke.