In Global News: Microbe Resistant Scrubs, LVAD Recall, and Customizing Regenerative Heart Valves [1]
Patient Care and General Interest
Coal miners in central Appalachia in the US have an increasing incidence of severe black lung disease [3] and an associated increased need for lung transplantation.
Five people have received free cardiac surgery [4] at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, Nigeria, in collaboration with the VOOM foundation.
In news related to heart-healthy diets, adhering to a Mediterranean diet seemes to temper the negative cardiovascular effects of air pollution [5], and regular, moderate chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of atrial fibrillation [6].
Drugs and Devices
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a class I recall for the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System [7] from Abbott.
Vestagen Protective Technologies has received clearance for its Vestex® Active Barrier daily-wear scrubs as a class II medical device from the US FDA for the fabric’s reduced MRSA accumulation [8].
Research, Trials, and Funding
Researchers in Germany find no evidence that electromagnetic field strength from electric cars interferes with cardiac implantable electronic devices [9].
Researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland are using computer simulations to predict the structural changes that will occur in bioengineered heart valves after they are implanted in sheep [10], with the goal of using those predictions to design customized regenerative heart valves with greater durability.