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Ivabradine reduces heart volume among patients with cardiac insufficiency

As guest speaker at the European Society of Cardiology's Congress currently under way in Paris, Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute's Research Centre and professor of medicine at the Universit- de Montr-al, today presented the results of an analysis demonstrating that ivabradine, a medication used to reduce heart rate, also reduces heart volume (left ventricle) among patients with cardiac insufficiency.

30 Aug 2011

Vitamin A supplements in children could save up to 600,000 lives a year: Study

Researchers have found that giving vitamin A supplements to children under the age of five in developing countries could save up to 600,000 lives a year. Writing in the British Medical Journal, UK and Pakistani experts assessed 43 studies involving 200,000 children, and found deaths were cut by 24% if children were given the vitamin. They add that it would also cut rates of measles and diarrhea.

30 Aug 2011

Men reluctant to use sunscreen- survey

A new survey claims that less than half of men use sunscreen of at least factor 15 to protect their skin from damage.

30 Aug 2011

Chocolate for the heart - benefits revealed

A comprehensive analysis of previous studies including more than 114,000 subjects has shown that high levels of chocolate consumption are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of certain cardiovascular disorders.

30 Aug 2011

Governor Perry attacked for choosing new medical treatment

Recently, the governor of Texas and presidential hopeful had a bad back treated by injecting some of his very own fat cells, after they had been cultured and treated in a laboratory. The innovative use of a patient’s own adult stem cells is showing great promise in many conditions, including damaged joints.

29 Aug 2011

Optical treatment strategies to correct peripheral vision may slow progression of myopia

New scientific evidence on how feedback from the eye affects visual development may lead to more effective approaches to treating myopia (nearsightedness) in children, reports a paper in the September issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

29 Aug 2011

Men worse than women at protecting their skin in the sun

Nearly 90 per cent of British adults admit their skin has been sunburnt - with almost half experiencing pain as result of being in the sun.

29 Aug 2011

Premier healthcare alliance awards new agreements for procurement of energy

The Premier healthcare alliance today announced that new agreements for the procurement of energy have been awarded to Amerex Brokers, LLC. of Sugar Land, Texas; Co-eXprise Inc. of Wexford, Pa.; Hospital Energy Development LLC. of Middletown, Conn.; Vical Energy Consultants Inc. of Hackensack, N.J.; and World Energy Solutions, Inc. of Worcester, Mass.

29 Aug 2011

HH&S, CDC announce eight finalists for 2011 Sentinel for Health Awards

Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are announcing eight finalists for the Sentinel for Health Awards.

29 Aug 2011

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

Individuals with BAP1 gene mutation more likely to develop mesothelioma

Scientists have found that individuals who carry a mutation in a gene called BAP1 are susceptible to developing two forms of cancer - mesothelioma, and melanoma of the eye.

29 Aug 2011

ELIQUIS better than warfarin in reduction of stroke, major bleeding, and mortality

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. today announced the main results of the Phase 3 clinical trial ARISTOTLE, which evaluated ELIQUIS compared to warfarin for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism in 18,201 patients with atrial fibrillation and at least one risk factor for stroke.

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

EU finances BRIDGE project to tackle major disasters

The subject of the EU's BRIDGE project is transnational and interagency cooperation in the event of terror attacks, natural disasters and industrial accidents. The project is being led by SINTEF and was launched in April 2011.

26 Aug 2011

FDA tips for tackling hurricanes

The FDA reminds consumers to take precautions for storing water and ensuring the safety of their food and medical supplies for themselves and their pets during and after this week's expected hurricane-related rain, possible flooding and power outages.

26 Aug 2011

HHS awards $137M to fund key state and local public health programs

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today awarded up to $137 million, partly supported by the Affordable Care Act, to states to strengthen the public health infrastructure and provide jobs in core areas of public health.

26 Aug 2011

Health law funding creates dilemma for GOP governors

Even as many Republican state executives oppose the health law, many are moving forward in creating state-run exchanges. Meanwhile, the availability of public health funding as a result of the law also is a politically challenging windfall.

26 Aug 2011

Tax on sugary drinks, limits on marketing to children may help curb global obesity epidemic

The global obesity epidemic has been escalating for decades, yet long-term prevention efforts have barely begun and are inadequate, according to a new paper from international public health experts published in the August 25, 2011 edition of the journal The Lancet.

26 Aug 2011

Researchers to study long-term health impacts of Deepwater Horizon oil spill

More than a year after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill devastated coastal communities in Louisiana, there are still sections of oiled coastlines, livelihoods hanging in the balance and many lingering questions about the long-term impacts of the disaster. One concern in particular haunts those affected: can their community bounce back from such a terrible blow? An LSU researcher has teamed up with a multi-institutional group to determine how disaster-impacted communities fight back from the brink of collapse.

26 Aug 2011