The heart of an astronaut is a much-studied thing. Scientists have analyzed its blood flow, rhythms, atrophy and, through journal studies, even matters of the heart. But for the first time, researchers are looking at how oxidative stress and inflammation caused by the conditions of space flight affect those hearts for up to five years after astronauts fly on the International Space Station. Lessons learned may help improve cardiovascular health on Earth as well.

The international cardiovascular information system (CVIS) market is expected to reach $211.3 million by 2018, for a 7.9 percent increase from 2013, MicroMarket Monitor predicted.

Is big data turning hospital systems and physicians into Big Brother? Bloomberg News detailed how hospitals use consumer data derived from credit card transactions and public records to profile current and potential patients. Hospitals see the process as a way to identify high-risk patients and intervene early but advocacy groups call it an invasion of privacy.

In a nod to telemedicine, the Federation of State Medical Boards drafted a law that would allow physicians certified in a medical specialty to treat patients in other states without applying for multiple licenses.

Internet-connected computers that aren’t configured securely are a weak link in hospital systems that could be exploited to hack into control systems for implanted pacemakers, according to Wired.com. The report previewed Shakacon, an IT security conference.

Mount Sinai Heart at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has created an innovative Center for Medical Devices (CMeD) to advance the field of cardiovascular medicine and accelerate the delivery of promising medical devices to cardiac patients. Julie Swain, MD, an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon and medical device expert has been recruited by Mount Sinai to help lead this pioneering initiative.

LUMEDX Corporation, a leading provider of cloud-based cardiovascular imaging and information systems (CVIS), and Scientific Software Solutions, Inc., (SSS), maker of PedCathcongenital catheterization (cath) reporting software, announced today that they are partnering to create an innovative solution for congenital cardiac data and image management.

Objective Medical Systems, LLC has today announced that its Electronic Health Record (EHR) system has earned Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. This certification represents a significant step toward enabling cardiovascular practices across the nation to select an EHR built specifically for their needs.