Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) News and Research

RSS

A Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) occurs when blood flow to a section of heart muscle becomes blocked. If the flow of blood isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle becomes damaged from lack of oxygen and begins to die.

Heart attack is a leading killer of both men and women in the United States. But fortunately, today there are excellent treatments for heart attack that can save lives and prevent disabilities. Treatment is most effective when started within 1 hour of the beginning of symptoms. Heart attacks occur most often as a result of a condition called coronary artery disease (CAD). In CAD, a fatty material called plaque (plak) builds up over many years on the inside walls of the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to your heart). Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the part of the heart muscle fed by the artery.

Gum disease and heart problems not linked: Review

It has been claimed for the past few decades that gum disease is linked to heart problems or strokes but according to latest findings the link does not hold up on deeper research says the American Heart Association.

22 Apr 2012

University of Limerick researchers develop device to increase angioplasty success rates

Developed by biomedical engineers at the University of Limerick the device will improve success rates in angioplasty procedures. It is estimated that over 1 million angioplasty procedures are undertaken worldwide each year and the value of products relating to this procedure is in the region of €500million.

11 Apr 2012

Nasal spray to prevent fat and plaque built up in the heart on the horizon

Researchers found a treatment that was much more effective in removing fat from arteries than established methods. The vaccine can be given as an injection or in a slightly different form as a nasal spray. A trial on 144 heart disease sufferers is under way in the US and Canada.

1 Apr 2012

Obesity drugs need more heart safety scrutiny: FDA panel

According to federal advisors last Thursday, obesity drugs should undergo clinical trials to ensure that they do not cause heart attacks. This would make it harder for these drugs to receive approval.

1 Apr 2012

Two drinks a day after first heart attack may reduce death risk among men: Study

The study, carried out by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, found that men who consumed two alcoholic drinks per day after their first heart attack were at lower risk of dying than non-drinking men. The type of drink did not have an effect on the results, but heavy drinkers had a risk of death that was similar to that of non-drinkers.

29 Mar 2012

Heart attack could be treated best with cheap mix of three injections: Study

When the shot was given early to patients with signs of a heart attack, the mixture of glucose, insulin and potassium (GIK), showed remarkable success in preventing full cardiac arrest - when the heart stops beating - and even death. And each shot cocktail costs only about $US50, according to the research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 61st annual scientific meeting in Chicago. The Scientific Session, the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, brings cardiovascular professionals together to further advances in the field.

28 Mar 2012

Aspirin lowers risk for cancers: Meta analysis

Aspirin has multiple benefits. It is a painkiller whose origins can be traced to Hippocrates, reduces the chances of developing or dying from cancer earlier than previously thought and also prevents tumors from spreading, studies show.

28 Mar 2012

Chocolate for weight loss: Study

The US survey of a population of more than 1000 adults, published as a research letter in the Archives on Internal Medicine, reinforces the idea that chocolate packs heart healthy benefits, despite its high calorie and sugar content. For the study the participants reported eating chocolate an average of twice a week and exercising an average of 3.6 times a week. Their average age was 57.

27 Mar 2012

Pregnancy raises risk of heart attacks

According to a new study pregnancy and related hormonal changes that continue 12 weeks after giving birth increase a woman's risk of heart attack. Although the likelihood of having a heart attack during pregnancy is very low - just 1 in every 16,000 deliveries - it is still 3 to 4 times higher than non-pregnant women of the same age.

26 Mar 2012

Dick Cheney’s heart transplant success at 71

Former vice president Dick Cheney, at 71, who has survived five heart attacks and years of heart failure, is recuperating in intensive care at a Northern Virginia hospital after undergoing a heart transplant Saturday. He had been on the waiting list for 20 months.

26 Mar 2012

Heart attack may soon be predicted by a simple blood test

Researchers have found a simple test that could predict whether a patient is about to have a heart attack. They used a blood sample to detect cells that have sloughed off of damaged blood vessel walls to predict a heart attack.

25 Mar 2012

Ivabradine could save thousands of heart failure patients

Researchers behind a major trial of Procoralan believe the pill could save 10,000 lives a year in Britain alone. Ivabradine works by slowing the beating of the heart, helping it to pump blood more efficiently.

7 Mar 2012

Merck fails to get FDA nod for new cholesterol lowering combo pill

The length of delay in approval is not clear yet as the FDA has called for additional study data on the compound. It combines generic Lipitor (Atorvastatin), the top-selling drug of all time, with Merck's cholesterol medicine Zetia (Ezetimibe).

5 Mar 2012

FDA takes more time to decide on the fate of BMS & Pfizer’s joint venture anticlotting drug Eliquis

The U.S FDA have pushed back the deadline for deciding whether to approve an experimental anticlotting drug developed jointly by Pfizer Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. The companies said late Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration has set a new target date of June 28 for deciding whether to approve Eliquis. That’s three months later than originally scheduled.

2 Mar 2012

Sleep improves with age dispelling age old myth

A new study dispels the age old belief that sleep doesn’t get more difficult with age. The study shows that sleep quality tends to improve the older people got, with adults in their 80s getting better sleep than any other age group surveyed. The new study was published in the journal Sleep.

2 Mar 2012

Statins remain important for people at high risk of heart attack or stroke

NPS is urging people taking statins to continue to take their medicine as prescribed and to see their doctor if they are unsure about the benefit of the medicine for them.

1 Mar 2012

Stents not more beneficial than medications in stable coronary artery disease: Study

The placement of a stent to repair a narrowed artery in the heart has become routine worldwide. A new analysis of earlier clinical trials shows that inserting a stent has no benefit over standard medical care in treating stable coronary artery disease.

28 Feb 2012

Circadian rhythm can influence a heart attack

Researchers have found that a biological clock can influence a heart attack. The risk of “sudden cardiac death” peaks in the morning and rises again in the evening as shown in lab animals.

23 Feb 2012

Silent & atypical heart attacks more dangerous & fatal in young women

It is known that chest pain or discomfort is the most common heart attack symptom. In addition, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath and pain or numbness in the jaw, arms or back can also signal a blocked artery cutting off vital oxygen and nutrients from the heart.

22 Feb 2012

Large number of Australians with high blood pressure and heart disease risk

For the study researchers from Melbourne-based Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute looked at medical records of 532,050 patients who visited GPs between 2005 and 2010 and found 36 per cent, had high blood pressure. At least 250,000 patients did not meet individual blood pressure targets, placing them at risk of future heart attacks or strokes.

15 Feb 2012