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Blood Pressure is the force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is taken using two measurements: systolic (measured when the heart beats, when blood pressure is at its highest) and diastolic (measured between heart beats, when blood pressure is at its lowest). Blood pressure is written with the systolic blood pressure first, followed by the diastolic blood pressure (for example 120/80).
Bayer HealthCare: Patient enrollment underway in Phase III trial of Stivarga tablets for treatment of HCC

Bayer HealthCare: Patient enrollment underway in Phase III trial of Stivarga tablets for treatment of HCC

Bayer HealthCare announced today that patient enrollment is underway for RESORCE (Regorafenib after Sorafenib in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma), an international Phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Stivarga (regorafenib) tablets for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have progressed on Nexavar (sorafenib) tablets, an anticancer medicine for the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC. [More]

New studies support previous findings that reducing dietary sodium intake improves health

Recent studies that examine links between sodium consumption and health outcomes support recommendations to lower sodium intake from the very high levels some Americans consume now, but evidence from these studies does not support reduction in sodium intake to below 2,300 mg per day, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. [More]
Viewpoints: Angelina Jolie on her decision to have a double mastectomy; Justice Ginsburg's 'blind spot' on abortion

Viewpoints: Angelina Jolie on her decision to have a double mastectomy; Justice Ginsburg's 'blind spot' on abortion

My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman. Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex (Angelina Jolie, 5/14). [More]

New nimodipine oral solution receives FDA approval for subarachnoid hemorrhage treatment

On May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nymalize, a new nimodipine oral solution, to treat patients experiencing symptoms resulting from ruptured blood vessels in the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage). [More]
Renaissance in drug development for rare diseases

Renaissance in drug development for rare diseases

Once famously described as "orphan diseases, too small to be noticed, too small to be funded" in the Hollywood drama Lorenzo's Oil, rare diseases are getting unprecedented attention today among drug manufacturers, who are ramping up research efforts and marketing new medicines that promise fuller lives for children and other patients with these heartbreaking conditions. [More]

Study suggests that a blood protein contributes to early development of atherosclerosis

It's on Saturday that the Journal of the American Heart Association published the conclusive results from a study directed by Dr. Éric Thorin of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), which suggests for the first time that a blood protein contributes to the early development of atherosclerosis. [More]

Processed and fast food salt levels remain high as ever, new study reports

The dangerously high salt levels in processed food and fast food remain essentially unchanged, despite numerous calls from public and private health agencies for the food industry to voluntarily reduce sodium levels, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study conducted with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. [More]
FDA approves Arbor Pharmaceuticals' NDA for Nymalize oral solution

FDA approves Arbor Pharmaceuticals' NDA for Nymalize oral solution

Arbor Pharmaceuticals announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its New Drug Application for Nymalize (nimodipine) oral solution. [More]
Nutritional supplement may improve survival rates of babies born with heart defects

Nutritional supplement may improve survival rates of babies born with heart defects

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report. Carnitine, a compound that helps transport fat inside the cell powerhouse where it can be used for energy production, is currently used for purposes ranging from weight loss to chest pain. [More]
SLU SNMA students receive Leadership in Institutional Diversity Award

SLU SNMA students receive Leadership in Institutional Diversity Award

A group of 40 students are part of Saint Louis University's Student National Medical Association chapter (SNMA), who are striving to reduce health disparities locally. This year, they received the Leadership in Institutional Diversity Award, a recognition given to a university for serving as an outstanding example of leadership and innovation in promoting and maintaining institutional diversity. [More]
Work conditions can predict development of diabetes over the long term, research finds

Work conditions can predict development of diabetes over the long term, research finds

Cases of type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the US. And while the development of the disease is more commonly associated with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity, research has shown that stress can also have a significant impact. [More]

Quantum International develops medical testing software for Apple iPad

Cutting-edge technology company Quantum International Corp. announced today that it has begun development on an innovative new accessory for the Apple iPad that could potentially revolutionize mobile medical testing. [More]
Review for clinicians on optimal utilization of aspirin to treat, prevent heart attacks published

Review for clinicians on optimal utilization of aspirin to treat, prevent heart attacks published

Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., the first Sir Richard Doll professor and senior academic advisor to the dean in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University published a review for clinicians on the optimal utilization of aspirin to treat and prevent heart attacks. [More]
Viewpoints: Medicaid's effect on health debated; Young adults central to lowering anxiety about online marketplaces

Viewpoints: Medicaid's effect on health debated; Young adults central to lowering anxiety about online marketplaces

A study comparing low-income people in Oregon who received access to Medicaid over the past two years with those who did not, found that those on Medicaid visited doctors and hospitals more often, suffered less from depression and were more financially secure. [More]

PAMF provides support to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection and control

The American Medical Group Association announced today that the Palo Alto Medical Foundation donated $20,000 to support Measure Up/Pressure Down, a national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation, AMGA's nonprofit education and research arm. [More]
High blood pressure linked to better quality of life in adolescents

High blood pressure linked to better quality of life in adolescents

Teenagers with high blood pressure appear to have better psychological adjustment and enjoy higher quality of life than those with normal blood pressure, suggests a study in the May issue of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. [More]

Oregon study offers insights into reach of health law's Medicaid expansion

The landmark study, which was appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed data from the Oregon Health Study, which compared low-income people in that state who had access to Medicaid with a similar population that did not. The findings offer insights into how Medicaid coverage affects overall health and health costs. [More]

Regional anesthesia improves outcomes in sleep apnea patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty

Using regional anesthesia instead of general anesthesia in patients with sleep apnea undergoing total joint replacement decreases major complications by 17%, according to a study published online, ahead of print, in the journal Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. [More]

NIH-funded study uncovers novel way that grapes exert beneficial effects in the heart

A study appearing in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry- demonstrates that grapes are able to reduce heart failure associated with chronic high blood pressure (hypertension) by increasing the activity of several genes responsible for antioxidant defense in the heart tissue. [More]

Study shows culture of health model reduces employee health costs at PPG Industries

A comprehensive program focusing on "growing a culture of health" has led to a reduction in employee health costs at PPG Industries, according to a study in the May Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. [More]