st. jude medical and cardiomems today announced u.s. food and drug administration (fda) approval of the cardiomems™ hf system, the first and only fda-approved heart failure monitoring system proven to significantly reduce heart failure hospital admissions and improve quality of life in nyha class iii patients. st. jude medical has a 19 percent ownership of cardiomems and intends to immediately exercise its exclusive option to purchase the remaining portion of the company.