St Jude Medical trial data shows benefits of PFO occluder

St Jude Medical has reported results from a new study showing how patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure techniques can help reduce the risk of recurrent cryptogenic stroke.

Data from the Respect trial showed that the company's Amplatzer PFO Occluder delivers superior performance by addressing PFOs, a type of heart defect that allows dangerous clots to travel up to the brain.

Involving almost 1,000 patients, the Respect study demonstrated a stroke risk reduction rate of between 46.6 percent and 72.7 percent across all analyses.

This could be an important discovery, as the prevalence of PFOs among cryptogenic stroke patients is three times greater than among the general population.

Frank Callaghan, president of the St Jude Medical cardiovascular and ablation technologies division, said: "St Jude Medical is committed to providing the clinical research needed to help physicians improve care for their patients."

This comes after the firm published data from a study last week that showed the cost-effectiveness benefits delivered by its coronary intervention technology PressureWire.