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Ablation technique destroys eye of the storm

Researchers have developed a new technology that could significantly improve the success rate of procedures to treat atrial fibrillation.

20 Jul 2012

Gates Foundation blog posts reflect on London Summit on Family Planning

In this post in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, Melinda Gates, co-chair of the foundation, reflects on the London Summit on Family Planning, which took place last week, writing, "I was humbled and thrilled by the world's commitment to put women and girls back at the heart of the global health agenda. ... Their enthusiasm shows that family planning is a high priority in the countries where many women and girls lack access, and that is the key to success in the long term."

20 Jul 2012

ASA, Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists launch public education campaign

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists (ISA) today launched a public education campaign to help put the minds of Iowa residents at ease about surgical procedures and the associated risks of anesthesia.

20 Jul 2012

New blood sugar monitor: An interview with Sherita Hill Golden

Type 1 diabetes is a disorder in which the body makes proteins (antibodies) against the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, destroying those cells. As a result, individuals are unable to secrete insulin to normalize blood sugar and hyperglycemia results.

20 Jul 2012

Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute offers new TAVR procedure for patients with aortic stenosis

People who are high-risk for heart valve surgery could have their damaged aortic valve replaced without traditional surgery with a new FDA-approved procedure performed at Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute at Baptist Hospital of Miami.

20 Jul 2012

Carotid stenosis, ECG anomalies foreshadow Parkinson’s disease

Individuals aged 65 years and over who have carotid stenosis or electrocardiography abnormalities face an elevated risk for subsequently being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, results of a 14-year longitudinal study show.

19 Jul 2012

Glanbia Nutritionals, ChromaDex to distribute pTeroPure in North America

ChromaDex Corporation, an innovative natural products company that provides proprietary, science-based solutions and ingredients to the dietary supplement, food & beverage, animal health, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, and marketer of its branded, patented pterostilbene, pTeroPure, announced today a distribution agreement for pTeroPure with Glanbia Nutritionals (NA), Inc., a global ingredient and micronutrient premix company.

19 Jul 2012

Researchers discover potential drug targets that might reduce ventilator-induced lung inflammation

When hospital patients need assistance breathing and are placed on a mechanical ventilator for days at a time, their lungs react to the pressure generated by the ventilator with an out-of-control immune response that can lead to excessive inflammation, new research suggests.

19 Jul 2012

Escalating Miss. abortion fight could be blueprint for similar challenges

State health inspectors inspect Mississippi's only abortion clinic -- the first step towards shutting it down-- while a judge considers whether to let the law stand. Meanwhile, anti-abortion activists hone in on other states with single abortion providers to see if they can use similar approaches to shut them down, Politico Pro reports.

19 Jul 2012

Study gauges depression among spouses of severe-sepsis survivors

Severe sepsis, a body's dangerous defensive response against an infection, not only diminishes the quality of life for patients - it puts their spouses at a greater risk of depression, a joint University of Michigan Health System and University of Washington School of Medicine study shows.

19 Jul 2012

Only 63% of New Yorkers on Medicaid with chronic conditions are adherent to drug regimens

A new study published online this month in the Journal of Urban Health conducted by researchers in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the New York State Department of Health found only 63 percent of New Yorkers on Medicaid with chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol are adherent to medication regimens.

19 Jul 2012

Metabolic syndrome may reduce cerebral blood flow

Metabolic syndrome, a term used to describe a combination of risk factors that often lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, seems to be linked to lower blood flow to the brain, according to research by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

19 Jul 2012

Police officers with sleep deprivation more susceptible to chronic fatigue and health problems

Researchers at the University of Iowa have found that police officers who sleep fewer than six hours per night are more susceptible to chronic fatigue and health problems, such as being overweight or obese, and contracting diabetes or heart disease.

19 Jul 2012

New procedure can shut down irregular heart rhythms

Researchers from UC San Diego, the University of California Los Angeles and Indiana University report having found, for the first time, that atrial fibrillation or irregular heart rhythms is caused by small electrical sources within the heart, in the form of electrical spinning tops ("rotors") or focal beats. Importantly, they found a way of detecting these key sources, then precisely targeting them for therapy that can shut them down in minutes with long lasting results.

19 Jul 2012

Angion Biomedica initiates BB3 Phase II trial in heart attack

Angion Biomedica Corp. announced today that the first patient was dosed in a Phase II multicenter clinical trial evaluating BB3 for the treatment of heart attack (acute myocardial infarction).

19 Jul 2012

U.S. News & World Report names U-M among 2012 America's Best Hospitals

The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers offer the best care in Michigan and some of the nation's best care, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

18 Jul 2012

Childhood abuse affects the heart

Severe child abuse is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in early adulthood, report researchers in Circulation.

18 Jul 2012

Cigna, PAMF launch collaborative accountable care initiative

Cigna and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), a not-for-profit health care organization that is a pioneer in the multispecialty group practice of medicine, have launched a collaborative accountable care initiative to expand patient access to health care, improve care coordination, and achieve the "triple aim" of improved health outcomes (quality), lower total medical costs and increased patient satisfaction.

18 Jul 2012

Research explains why exercise is beneficial for heart function in type 2 diabetes

A detailed study of heart muscle function in mice has uncovered evidence to explain why exercise is beneficial for heart function in type 2 diabetes. The research team, led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, found that greater amounts of fatty acids used by the heart during stressful conditions like exercise can counteract the detrimental effects of excess glucose and improve the diabetic heart's pumping ability in several ways.

18 Jul 2012

U.S. News & World Report names UCLA Medical Center among 2012 America's Best Hospitals

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center ranks among the top five American hospitals, according to a U.S. News & World Report survey that reviewed patient-outcomes data, reputation among physicians and other care-related factors.

18 Jul 2012