For now, this procedure is usually limited to individuals who have a narrowed aortic valve (aortic stenosis) rather than aortic regurgitation and are considered at high-risk for surgical complications.

CNN: Aortic valve regurgitation

In SEAS, Vytorin failed to do better than placebo at treating a heart valve disease called aortic stenosis, but it did reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and operations to unclog arteries.

FORBES: Efficacy Questions Still Dog Vytorin

The blockbuster cholesterol drug Vytorin failed to improve a rare heart valve condition called aortic stenosis and seemed to increase rates of cancer, a new study says, dealing another blow to the top-selling drug and its makers, Merck and Schering-Plough .

FORBES: Another Blow For Merck And Schering