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Judge orders Guidant to pay $296 million fine for withholding information about faulty heart devices

This Boston Scientific Corp. subsidiary faces this fine as well as three years of probation as part of a case that began in 2005.

14 Jan 2011

BIOTRONIK announces FDA IDE approval and first patient enrollment for TOCCASTAR clinical trial

BIOTRONIK SE Co. & KG highlights two key milestones toward receiving premarket approval (PMA) of the TactiCath, a novel technology for treating atrial fibrillation (AF): FDA IDE (investigational device exemption) approval and the first patient enrollment of the TOCCASTAR (TactiCath Contact Force Ablation Catheter Study for Atrial Fibrillation) clinical trial.

14 Jan 2011

GOP leaders reformulate strategies to undo health law

In the wake of last weekend's shootings in Arizona, GOP House leaders are contemplating ways to proceed with their planned health law repeal vote. Meanwhile, even as the debate continues — perhaps with more civility — The Washington Post offers a fact-check of one of the key points in play.

14 Jan 2011

'Pacemaker' Hcn4 gene responsible for generation of repetitive activity in SAN tissue and heart rate regulation

The study of Dario DiFrancesco and his equipe identifies the "pacemaker" Hcn4 gene as the gene functionally responsible for the generation of repetitive activity in sinoatrial node tissue and for the regulation of heart rate. Hcn4 codes for HCN4 channels, the molecular components of "funny" ion channels of pacemaker cells of the sinoatrial node (SAN) tissue.

14 Jan 2011

New research shows hospital's design features can improve patient care, reduce health care expenses

14 Jan 2011

Merck announces changes in vorapaxar clinical studies

Merck today provided the following statement on the changes to the clinical studies for vorapaxar, one of the Company's investigational cardiovascular medicines, following an announcement from the two academic centers leading the studies of vorapaxar.

14 Jan 2011

American Heart Association urges public to reduce salt intake

The American Heart Association today issued a call to action for the public, health professionals, the food industry and the government to intensify efforts to reduce the amount of sodium Americans consume daily.

14 Jan 2011

Patients on dialysis may face risk of death from atrial fibrillation: Study

The abnormal heart rhythm, atrial fibrillation, is increasingly common in patients on dialysis and is linked to a sharp rise in death, in an already at-risk population, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

14 Jan 2011

Older adults with recent heart attack, kidney dysfunction lack long-term medication adherence: Study

Among older adults with a recent heart attack, those with lower levels of kidney function are less likely to take their medications as prescribed, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

14 Jan 2011

American Heart Association proposes new metrics to monitor quality of stroke care

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has proposed metrics that healthcare professionals can use to monitor the diagnosis and treatment of patients at stroke centers to help improve the quality of care stroke patients receive.

14 Jan 2011

12-HETE enzyme inhibition can prevent ischemic retinopathy: Study

The inhibition or removal of an enzyme may prevent or treat ischemic retinopathy by stalling growth of unwanted vessels in the retina, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.

14 Jan 2011

Medtronic acquires Ardian

Medtronic, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of privately-held Ardian, a developer of catheter-based therapies to treat hypertension and related conditions.

13 Jan 2011

Kaneka, Atrium Medical introduce FDA-approved Xpress-Way RX Extraction Catheter

Atrium Medical Corporation and Kaneka Corporation are proud to announce the introduction of the Xpress-Way RX Extraction Catheter. Xpress-Way RX has recently received FDA 510K clearance and is indicated for the removal of fresh, soft emboli and thrombi from vessels in the coronary and peripheral vasculature.

13 Jan 2011

Good cholesterol efficiency more important than quantity: Study

According to a new study the amount of good cholesterol a person has is not as important as how well that good cholesterol works to stop heart disease. Good cholesterol or High-Density Lipoprotein—also known as HDL is known to be healthy for the heart with people having high blood levels of HDL being at a lower risk of developing heart disease than people with low levels.

13 Jan 2011

Next-generation hospital design can improve health and save money

Extra large private hospital rooms with plenty of natural light and artwork may seem like unaffordable luxuries, but new research shows that these and other architecture and design features can improve patient care and in the long run reduce health care expenses. They are among the elements of the “Fable hospital,” an ideal health care facility as conceived and analyzed by leaders in health care and design. Elements of the Fable hospital are being adopted on the ground today, with the imperative to improve quality and value.

13 Jan 2011

NEJM releases findings about behavioral impact of personal genetic testing

Navigenics, a leading personal genomics company, announced today that The New England Journal of Medicine has published findings from the Scripps Genomic Health Initiative, a research study sponsored by Scripps Translational Science Institute to assess the behavioral impact of personal genetic testing.

13 Jan 2011

Personal genetic tests have promising effects on consumers

New findings from a landmark research study led by Scripps Health and the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) reveal that personal genetic tests have some promising effects on consumers who choose to undergo the screenings. STSI is an initiative of Scripps Health in collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute.

13 Jan 2011

Interventions for preventing falls in older persons should include an exercise component

In the first update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society's guidelines on preventing falls in older persons since 2001, they now recommend that all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component and that a number of new assessments should be used, including; feet and footwear, fear of falling, and ability to carry out daily living activities.

13 Jan 2011

BP-lowering medications provide long-term benefit of reducing death risk from cardiovascular disease

In a study published in December 2010, in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association, investigators have shown that early treatment with blood pressure-lowering medications provides a long-term benefit of reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

13 Jan 2011

SRI International receives $17.4 million grant to boost treatments for cardiovascular, lung, blood diseases

SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced today that it has been awarded two preclinical services contracts totaling $17.4 million by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health.

13 Jan 2011

Heart News and Research

Judge orders Guidant to pay $296 million fine for withholding information about faulty heart devices

BIOTRONIK announces FDA IDE approval and first patient enrollment for TOCCASTAR clinical trial

GOP leaders reformulate strategies to undo health law

'Pacemaker' Hcn4 gene responsible for generation of repetitive activity in SAN tissue and heart rate regulation

New research shows hospital's design features can improve patient care, reduce health care expenses

Merck announces changes in vorapaxar clinical studies

American Heart Association urges public to reduce salt intake

Patients on dialysis may face risk of death from atrial fibrillation: Study

Older adults with recent heart attack, kidney dysfunction lack long-term medication adherence: Study

American Heart Association proposes new metrics to monitor quality of stroke care

12-HETE enzyme inhibition can prevent ischemic retinopathy: Study

Medtronic acquires Ardian

Kaneka, Atrium Medical introduce FDA-approved Xpress-Way RX Extraction Catheter

Good cholesterol efficiency more important than quantity: Study

Next-generation hospital design can improve health and save money

NEJM releases findings about behavioral impact of personal genetic testing

Personal genetic tests have promising effects on consumers

Interventions for preventing falls in older persons should include an exercise component

BP-lowering medications provide long-term benefit of reducing death risk from cardiovascular disease

SRI International receives $17.4 million grant to boost treatments for cardiovascular, lung, blood diseases

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