Atherosclerosis News and Research

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Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque - the fatty deposits and other cells - in the inner walls of the arteries. The condition is a consequence of elevated cholesterol and for many it's a silent disease, with no visible signs or symptoms. The disease can begin in early adulthood and continues to progress for the rest of a person's life. Despite the serious nature of atherosclerosis, many people do not understand how it develops and progresses.

New ESC Guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of peripheral artery disease

For cardiologists, coronary artery disease is the most important presentation of atherosclerosis. Patients with coronary artery disease may also have symptomatic or asymptomatic atherosclerosis in other vascular areas (peripheral artery disease).

26 Aug 2011

Study finds biological indicators that help explain why obese people develop chronic diseases

UC Davis Health System researchers have discovered biological indicators that help explain why some obese people develop chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and others do not.

25 Aug 2011

AMT total net loss decreases 7% to € 8.7 million for first half year of 2011

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in the field of human gene therapy, today reported its results for the first half year of 2011.

25 Aug 2011

Calcium scores and heart disease risk, experts debate

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22 Aug 2011

High levels of calcium in coronary arteries increase risk of stroke, heart attack

The presence of calcium in coronary arteries is a much better predictor of heart attack and stroke than C-reactive protein among people with normal levels of LDL cholesterol, according to a study of more than 2,000 people led by a Johns Hopkins heart specialist.

19 Aug 2011

Single-molecule imaging reveals how cells prepare to interact with biochemical signals

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that structural elements in the cell play a crucial role in organizing the motion of cell-surface receptors, proteins that enable cells to receive signals from other parts of the organism.

19 Aug 2011

Conference to discuss latest research on gender disparities in cardiovascular disease

Heart disease has sometimes been considered a men's health issue, but the statistics prove otherwise. In the US alone, more than 42 million women live with the problem. Heart disease is responsible for more than one-third of deaths among American women each year, making it the number one killer of females older than 20.

19 Aug 2011

Pericardial fat may promote atherosclerosis

Researchers have found more evidence supporting the role of fat around the heart in promoting atherosclerosis, according to a study published online in the journal Radiology.

16 Aug 2011

FDA approves Abbott's RX Herculink Elite Renal Stent System for renal artery stenosis

Abbott today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the RX Herculink Elite® Renal Stent System for the treatment of renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the main arteries supplying blood to the kidneys) in patients with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure).

10 Aug 2011

Israeli OCS approves $1.7M grant to support PROLOR's hGH-CTP program

PROLOR Biotech, Inc., a company developing next generation biobetter therapeutic proteins, today announced that the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) has approved a 2011 grant to PROLOR's Israeli-based R&D subsidiary for the company's development program for hGH-CTP, its long-acting version of human growth hormone.

10 Aug 2011

Researchers demonstrate contribution of Immunoglobulin E to atherogenesis

There is an observed correlation between Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels atherosclerosis, with twice amount of IgE present in patients with acute myocardial infarction as in patients with stable angina or without coronary heart disease (CHD). Guo-Ping Shi, DSc, Jing Wang, MD, PhD, and colleagues in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), have demonstrated the direct participation of IgE in atherogenesis in a mouse model.

10 Aug 2011

Debate on rationality of coronary angiography in low risk patients continues

A new study reveals that American hospitals vary widely in how they decide who's eligible for an invasive type of heart scan.

9 Aug 2011

Even minor weight loss can improve men’s sex lives: Study

The team of Australian researchers placed 31 obese men with type 2 diabetes on either a meal replacement-based low-calorie diet or a low-fat, high-protein, reduced-carbohydrate diet meant to decrease calorie intake by 600 calories a day. A modest weight loss of 5 percent led to an easing of erectile dysfunction and improved sexual desire within eight weeks, and these improvements continued for 12 months, according to the study published Aug. 5 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Problems with urinary tract function also improved, the team added.

8 Aug 2011

Shear stress-based method can identify vulnerable plaque in coronary arteries

Researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech have developed a method for predicting which areas of the coronary arteries will develop more atherosclerotic plaque over time, based on intracoronary ultrasound and blood flow measurements.

5 Aug 2011

Positive results from hGH-CTP Phase II trial in growth hormone deficient adults

PROLOR Biotech, Inc. today reported positive results from a Phase II clinical trial of its long-acting CTP-modified version of human growth hormone (hGH-CTP) in growth hormone deficient adults.

4 Aug 2011

New research highlights urgent need to develop specific guidelines for HIV-infected children

Children with HIV have persistently high levels of cholesterol and other lipids during treatment with antiretroviral medications, according to a pair of studies in JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

4 Aug 2011

Smoking doubles risk of atrial fibrillation

Results from a large, United States based cohort study show that current smokers double their risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to people who have never smoked, after more than 13 years of follow-up. The study, published in the August edition of HeartRhythm, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, indicates a trend towards significantly lower risk of developing AF for those who quit smoking cigarettes versus those who continue to smoke.

2 Aug 2011

Antioxidants may help treat infertility problems in both women and men

A growing body of evidence suggests that antioxidants may have significant value in addressing infertility issues in both women and men, including erectile dysfunction, and researchers say that large, specific clinical studies are merited to determine how much they could help.

29 Jul 2011

Merck secures worldwide rights to vernakalant i.v.

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Astellas US LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Merck, through a subsidiary, will acquire the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the investigational intravenous formulation of vernakalant (vernakalant i.v.) in Canada, Mexico and the United States from Astellas.

27 Jul 2011

Substances found in cigarette smoke damage blood vessels' endothelial cells

A research term headed by David Bernhard from the University Department of Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna has found out that substances found in cigarette smoke lead to blood vessels' endothelial cells constantly digesting themselves.

26 Jul 2011