St Jude Medical, a global medical device company, has reported net sales of $1.313bn in the second quarter of 2010, an increase of 11%, compared to $1.184bn for the comparable period in 2009.

St Jude Medical has posted a net earnings of $254m, or $0.77 per diluted share for the second quarter 2010, compared to net earnings of $219m, or $0.63 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2009.

St Jude said its total sales of heart rhythm devices grew 12% to $788m. Within that unit, sales of implantable heart defibrillators rose 18% to $471m, while pacemaker sales rose 4% to $317m.

Daniel Starks, chairman, president and chief executive officer of St Jude Medical, said: “Our second quarter was highly successful by every major measure. Sales exceeded the high end of our guidance for the second quarter in a row. Adjusted earnings per share grew 25%.

“Operating margin improved by 210 basis points on a year over year basis at the same time we launched more than 10 new products, increased investment in R&D, and entered a new $500m market through our acquisition of LightLab. Second quarter results and trends support raising our adjusted earnings per share guidance for the second quarter in a row.”