As a boomer of a “certain age,” it was nice to learn that one of my favorite snacks is actually good for me.

As we age, doctors say we need plenty of calcium in our diets. But I’d been eating Greek yogurt (a good source of calcium) flavored with cinnamon and stevia because I enjoyed it.

But irony abounds. Calcium is essential for healthy bones, but it’s also associated with America’s No. 1 killer: heart disease.

The good news is that eating calcium isn’t an issue. But excessive amounts of it in the body can be life-threatening.

That’s why a med-tech company is taking a novel approach to combat this problem…

And after an earnings increase of more than 1,700%, we shouldn’t ignore this company’s profit-potential any longer…

Calcium’s Impact on our Health

Some of the concerns about calcium are due to salacious and “clickbait” internet headlines like this one: “Is Calcium Killing You?”

But there’s no need to worry. If you eat too much calcium, the side effect would likely manifest itself as constipation, not heart disease.

The concerns about heart disease relate to calcium plaque, deposits that form in our blood vessels. Such deposits can restrict blood flow. And when they break off, they can cause strokes or heart attacks.

But these deposits don’t happen because we eat calcium-rich foods. Instead, they’re associated with diabetes and obesity. These conditions get in the way of our body’s system for properly storing and using calcium, and in turn cause these deposits to form.

More than forty percent of Americans suffer from obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. But ironically, although most may be lacking the calcium their bodies need, they’re still in danger of building up calcium deposits, thus further increasing their risk of heart disease and death.

That’s why, today, I’d like to introduce you to a Silicon Valley-based medical-device company that’s pioneered a new way to remove calcium deposits…

Introducing ShockWave Medical

The company is called ShockWave Medical Inc. (SWAV). And its focus is on a technology called intravascular lithotripsy (IVL).

For years, there were two standard ways to treat blood vessels that were narrowed by calcium deposits:

1. Inflate a balloon inside a vessel, pushing it open.
2. Use microscopic blades or lasers to cut off the plaque deposits from inside the vessel.

Although both are effective, both are problematic. Let me explain:

One of the ways in which plaque harms our health is by preventing blood vessels from expanding or shrinking. This makes the vessels rigid, rendering them unable to adapt to changes in blood pressure or exercise.

When we insert a balloon into a blood vessel and inflate it, the calcium can resist. This can cause it to expand into the surrounding blood-vessel walls. Not only does this leave the vessel narrow, but it also damages surrounding vessels.

Slicing plaque, meanwhile, is difficult to master, even for a skilled surgeon. Surgery also comes with the risk of cutting into the blood-vessel wall.

But ShockWave’s IVL technology takes a different, better approach...

More Success, Fewer Complications

IVL harnesses the same sound-wave technology that’s been safely used to crack kidney stones for more than three decades.

Additionally, ShockWave has miniaturized this technology, so IVL can be inserted into the tiniest blood vessels. Once inside, the company’s technology emits specially-tuned shockwaves that crack apart calcium deposits into pieces so tiny, they’re harmless.

Studies show ShockWave’s technology has fewer complications and a higher success rate for both peripheral-artery disease and coronary-heart disease. The FDA and EU have cleared, or approved, the company’s technology for both conditions…

Now ShockWave is starting a 400-person study on women suffering from ischemic heart disease. Given that women with calcium deposits have historically fared worse than men, this is a significant step forward.

Beating Wall Street’s Expectations

Along with approval success in the U.S. and Europe, ShockWave is also making progress in gaining approval in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

This focus on growth is paying off handsomely. Wall Street’s forecasts called for ShockWave to achieve a massive 1,240% gain in earnings per share in the most recent quarter. The actual gain? More than 1,700%!

Even if this company’s earnings grew at just two percent of that figure, it would still double its earnings in about two-and-a-half years.

ShockWave is a prime example of a company that can repurpose old technology to solve a critical medical problem, and generate huge growth for investors at the same time.

I recommend adding this company to your portfolio today.

And in our “Trade of the Day,” I’ll reveal another exciting way to tap into the profit power of the medical-device market.

Don’t miss out!

Cheers and Good Investing,

Chief Investment Officer
Trend Trader Daily

Tags: calcium medical-devices