Richard Heuser, MD, an internationally recognized cardiologist, inventor and educator, died May 23, according to an announcement on his website.
Dr. Heuser served as a diplomat of the American Board of Cardiovascular Diseases and the American Board of Interventional Cardiovascular Diseases and professor of medicine at the Phoenix-based University of Arizona College of Medicine.
He developed the first catheter treatment for leakage of the mitral valve. His hydrophilic wire, which he co-developed with an engineer, is utilized in about 20% of all angioplasty procedures worldwide, and the covered stent he co-invented is used in every cath lab worldwide that performs angioplasty and stent placements, according to his website.
Dr. Heuser was granted 24 patents for different catheter stents and other medical devices. He had also served as a principal investigator on the safety and effectiveness of more than 100 medical devices and 50 pharmaceutical products.
Dr. Heuser died at age 74 while on an Alaskan cruise, the Phoenix Business Journal reported May 29.