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AF AWARE campaign launches Atrial Fibrillation in Primary Care tool

The AF AWARE campaign today, at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2011 in Paris, announces the launch of the Atrial Fibrillation in Primary Care (AFIP) tool, developed to help primary care physicians (PCPs) with early diagnosis and optimal management of patients with atrial fibrillation.

29 Aug 2011

Thirty two projects to receive €1M donation for prevention of AF-related stroke

Last night at an award ceremony in Paris, the 32 winning projects of the global disease awareness initiative 1 Mission 1 Million - Getting to the Heart of Stroke were announced.

29 Aug 2011

Chocolate consumption might reduce risk of heart disease

High levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one third reduction in the risk of developing heart disease, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

29 Aug 2011

EAS/ESC develops new dyslipidaemias guidelines

Clinicians should aim for comprehensive lipid control using lifestyle as a first step and tailoring treatment to patients. Lifestyle interventions, including stopping smoking, improving diet, exercising sufficiently and moderate alcohol consumption, should be the crucial first step for managing lipids in all patients.

29 Aug 2011

One in three AF patients at high risk of stroke are not being prescribed VKA therapy

New data show that, worldwide, one in three patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are at high risk for stroke are not being prescribed anticoagulant therapy, particularly vitamin K antagonists (VKA) – medicines known to significantly lower stroke risk in these patients.

29 Aug 2011

Statins protect people against death from respiratory illness, infections

The death rate among patients prescribed a statin in a major trial that ended in 2003 is still lower than those given a placebo, even though most participants in both groups have been taking statins ever since. ASCOT, the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial, was stopped early because the statin was so effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes, but a new analysis has shown that eight years on, the most significant difference between the groups is a reduction in deaths from infection and respiratory illness.

29 Aug 2011

Sutureless method for reconnecting blood vessels

Reconnecting severed blood vessels is mostly done the same way today - with sutures - as it was 100 years ago, when the French surgeon Alexis Carrel won a Nobel Prize for advancing the technique.

29 Aug 2011

Pericardial fat linked with coronary arterial remodeling, non calcified plaque related to ACS

Pericardial thickness was significantly correlated with coronary arterial remodeling and non calcified plaque - related to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a Japanese study presented at the ESC Congress 2011 by Dr Riyo Ogura today.

29 Aug 2011

People with lower socioeconomic status more likely to develop heart disease

People with lower socioeconomic status are much more likely to develop heart disease than those who are wealthier or better educated, according to a recent UC Davis study.

29 Aug 2011

MitraClip treatment could benefit heart failure patients who are unresponsive to CRT

Results of an observational study presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting today in Paris demonstrate that the percutaneous catheter-based MitraClip treatment improves symptoms and promotes reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), who do not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

29 Aug 2011

Strong link between leisure-time physical activity and AF among men

A Norwegian survey carried out between 1974 and 2003 showed that there was a graded independent increase in the risk of AF with increasing levels of physical activity in a population-based study among men with ostensibly no other heart disease. In women the data were inconclusive.

29 Aug 2011

New clinical data shows positive long-term performance of Medtronic's CoreValve system

New clinical data presented today at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2011 demonstrate positive long-term performance for the CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve replacement system from Medtronic, Inc.

From Medtronic 29 Aug 2011

U.S. medical costs linked with treatment of preventable diseases to reach $66B per year

The rising prevalence of obesity around the globe places an increasing burden on the health of populations, on healthcare systems and on overall economies. A major challenge for researchers is to quantify the effect of these burdens to inform public policies.

29 Aug 2011

Scientists identify six new genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes in South Asians

An international team of researchers led by Imperial College London has identified six new genetic variants associated with type-2 diabetes in South Asians. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, give scientists new leads in the search for diagnostic markers and drug targets to prevent and treat this major disease.

29 Aug 2011

Apixaban superior to warfarin in preventing stroke and systemic embolism

A large-scale trial finds that apixaban, a new anticoagulant drug, is superior to the standard drug warfarin for preventing stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation.

29 Aug 2011

'Electronic nose' smells heart failure

A German team has developed a completely new non-invasive method to identify heart failure. It consists of an "electronic nose" which could make the "smelling" of heart failure possible. The projet was presented at the ESC Congress 2011 today.

29 Aug 2011

Azithromycin can help reduce wheezing, other acute symptoms of COPD

A common antibiotic can help reduce the severe wheezing and other acute symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a large, multicenter clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

29 Aug 2011

Nurofen mix up with Seroquel schizophrenia drug warns MHRA

British drug regulators have issued a safety alert on Thursday after discovering packs of the over-the-counter painkiller Nurofen Plus containing the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel XL.

26 Aug 2011

Foods that can reduce cholesterol

At present those with cholesterol are prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs like statins and a diet that cuts out foods high in saturated fat. New research shows that some foods may help to lower cholesterol.

26 Aug 2011

Research roundup: The costs of obesity; Patients' post-hospital medicine; Women and heart failure

Association of ICU or Hospital Admission With Unintentional Discontinuation of Medications for Chronic Diseases -- Researchers examined records of older people admitted to a hospital in Ontario, Canada from 1997-2009 who were already taking medicines for chronic health problems. They measured "failure to renew the prescription within 90 days after hospital discharge," and found that patients "prescribed medications for chronic diseases were at risk for potentially unintentional discontinuation after hospital admission.

26 Aug 2011