St. Jude Medical Receives European Approval to Sell OptiSense Pacemaker Lead

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Heart device maker St. Jude Medical Inc. said on Friday it received European approval to sell its OptiSense pacemaker lead.

Pacemaker leads are the thin wires that deliver and sense electrical impulses from the heart.

The OptiSense lead is designed to allow more accurate sensing of the heart's upper chamber, or more specifically, the right atrium, and to block out signals from the heart's lower chambers, according to the company.

The greater sensitivity allows doctors to be more accurate and flexible in programming the pacemaker to suit the patient's needs, the company said.

St. Jude shares fell 62 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $42.80 in afternoon trading.

Questions or comments about this story should be directed to Wallace Witkowski of AP Financial News at 212-621-7190.
by:biz.yahoo.com