Heart Failure News and Research

RSS

Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction.

Living alone, financial difficulties, excessive use of alcohol associated with the onset of depression among outpatients with heart failure

Living alone, financial difficulties, excessive use of alcohol and poor results on a heart failure questionnaire were associated with the onset of depression among outpatients with heart failure, according to a new study in the Dec. 21, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

21 Dec 2004

Clinical care of community-dwelling older adults with advanced chronic diseases would be enhanced by identifying and alleviating the range of symptoms they experience

In a study to determine the prevalence of a range of symptoms among older persons living independently with advanced chronic diseases, researchers at Yale have found that the majority experienced multiple moderate or severe symptoms.

8 Dec 2004

Leg wounds can be accurately assessed using photographs taken at a patient's home

A pilot study has shown that leg wounds can be accurately assessed using photographs taken at a patient's home, adding one more example to a growing list of medical conditions that can be successfully monitored remotely.

8 Dec 2004

Resveratrol antioxidant found in red wine may benefit heart tissue

New research on rat heart cells suggests that a well-known antioxidant found in red wine, called resveratrol, may benefit heart tissue by limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.

8 Dec 2004

Defect in one of nature's oldest proteins may be an underlying cause in human miscarriages

University of Rochester scientists studying a vital protein called Serum Response Factor (SRF) in mice have learned new and unexpected facts about SRF's role in early cardiovascular development, and how a defect in this gene may be an underlying cause in human miscarriages.

8 Dec 2004

Heart Hospital begins experimental cell therapy

Physicians at the Heart Hospital became the first team in the UK to treat a patient with an experimental new therapy designed to repair damage to cardiac muscle resulting from a heart attack. If successful, this treatment would give doctors the ability to improve the hearts of people with heart failure, rather than just treating the symptoms.

6 Dec 2004

Implications of twin, triplet and quadruplet pregnancies on mothers

More women giving birth in their later years has given rise to fertility treatments which has in turn led to what can be described as an explosion in twin, triplets and quadruplet pregnancies.

4 Dec 2004

Heart researchers have used gene therapy to bring failing rat hearts back to normal

Scientists led by Walter Koch, Ph.D., director of the Center for Translational Medicine in the Department of Medicine in Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, used a virus to insert the gene for a protein called S100A1 into failing rat hearts.

4 Dec 2004

Venom from one of the world’s deadliest snakes is being developed as a new drug to treat heart failure

“The team has isolated a unique set of active molecules from Taipan venom and research shows they are extremely effective at easing the heart’s workload,” he said.

29 Nov 2004

Weight gain beginning in childhood can lead to an enlarged heart

Weight gain beginning in childhood can lead to an enlarged heart by early adulthood, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

24 Nov 2004

Obesity could increase a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation

New research indicates that being obese could increase a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heart rhythm, by 50 percent, according to work published in the November 24 issue of JAMA.

24 Nov 2004

Highly obese women are 12 times more likely to have diabetes

Highly obese women are 12 times more likely to have diabetes or knee replacement surgery, and five times more likely to have high blood pressure than women who are at a normal weight, says a new study.

23 Nov 2004

Cells linked to asthma and eczema also help cure deadly illness in mice

Mast cells are immune cells known mostly for their unwanted effects: they cause the wheezing of asthma, the itching of eczema, the sneezing and runny nose of hay fever and, in extreme cases, the life-threatening shock of anaphylaxis.

20 Nov 2004

Troponin genes offer new insights to familial heart failure

Mutations in the troponin protein complex may be useful for predicting the course of heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy and also for guiding treatment and research, according to a new study in the Nov. 16, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

16 Nov 2004

Computer vignette effective at measuring quality of physician practice

A new measurement tool called the computerized clinical vignette can help clinicians and policymakers assess and improve the quality of physician practice while potentially reducing costs, according to a study led by a researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).

16 Nov 2004

Mast cells can provide protection from a potentially deadly condition known as sepsis

14 Nov 2004

Uncoupling proteins in the human heart

Results of a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that respiratory uncoupling and reduced substrate availability might lead to energy deficiency in heart failure.

14 Nov 2004

Women with arrhythmias may also benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

A small study of patients with heart failure not caused by blocked arteries indicates that women, as well as men, may benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), reported researchers at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Calcium channel blocker reduces adverse cardiovascular events

The calcium channel blocker amlodipine decreases the risk of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack or heart-disease related deaths) in patients with coronary artery disease and normal blood pressure, as does the ACE inhibitor enalapril, but to a lesser extent, according to a study in the November 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Nov 2004

Heart jacket effective treatment for heart failure

The concept is simple: to halt deterioration of the heart muscle, wrap it in a mesh-like net to prevent further enlargement in patients with heart failure. It's like a jacket for the heart.

10 Nov 2004

Heart Failure News and Research

Further Reading

Living alone, financial difficulties, excessive use of alcohol associated with the onset of depression among outpatients with heart failure

Clinical care of community-dwelling older adults with advanced chronic diseases would be enhanced by identifying and alleviating the range of symptoms they experience

Leg wounds can be accurately assessed using photographs taken at a patient's home

Resveratrol antioxidant found in red wine may benefit heart tissue

Defect in one of nature's oldest proteins may be an underlying cause in human miscarriages

Heart Hospital begins experimental cell therapy

Implications of twin, triplet and quadruplet pregnancies on mothers

Heart researchers have used gene therapy to bring failing rat hearts back to normal

Venom from one of the world’s deadliest snakes is being developed as a new drug to treat heart failure

Weight gain beginning in childhood can lead to an enlarged heart

Obesity could increase a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation

Highly obese women are 12 times more likely to have diabetes

Cells linked to asthma and eczema also help cure deadly illness in mice

Troponin genes offer new insights to familial heart failure

Computer vignette effective at measuring quality of physician practice

Mast cells can provide protection from a potentially deadly condition known as sepsis

Uncoupling proteins in the human heart

Women with arrhythmias may also benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

Calcium channel blocker reduces adverse cardiovascular events

Heart jacket effective treatment for heart failure

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News