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Electronic primary care records can help identify untreated patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease

Using routine data from electronic patient records to select individuals at high risk of developing heart disease, rather than screening all adults aged between 40 and 74 years of age, is just as effective at saving lives but will be cheaper to run, according to research published on bmj.com today.

26 Apr 2010

Urging school children to pay attention to dairy intake may be too late to optimize their bone health: Research

We all know that eating a calcium-rich diet is important for keeping our bones healthy and strong. This concept is clearly on display in any elementary school cafeteria where the walls are decorated with colorful posters with celebrity icons encouraging children to make sure they drink milk every day.

26 Apr 2010

Chokeberry extract reduces weight gain in insulin-resistant animals

Chokeberry bushes have for centuries been residents of eastern deciduous forests where their bright red and dark purple fruits continue to be favorite snacks of local bird species. Native Americans have also traditionally eaten dried chokeberries and prepared teas from parts of the plant, and several domesticated varieties now grace contemporary lawns and gardens from coast to coast.

26 Apr 2010

Nycomed, Merck enter co-promotion agreement for Daxas in Canada and Europe

Nycomed and Merck & Co., Inc. (based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and known as MSD outside the USA and Canada) today announced that they have entered into a co-promotion agreement for Canada and certain European countries for the commercialization of Daxas® (roflumilast), an investigational once-daily tablet for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, the two companies have signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the commercialization of Daxas® in the United Kingdom.

26 Apr 2010

Serum cortisol levels linked with increased mortality in patients with ACS: Research

Growing evidence suggests that serum cortisol levels are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic heart failure, research presented at this week's European Congress of Endocrinology shows.

26 Apr 2010

Temperature-sensing ability in proteins remain a mystery

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) have shed new light on the molecular mechanism that enables us to sense temperature, such as the heat from a sizzling stove. In addition to contributing to our knowledge of basic biology, the findings could one day lead to new therapies for conditions such as acute or chronic inflammatory pain.

24 Apr 2010

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

Viruses have evolved a broad range of strategies that enable them to evade the immune systems of their hosts. A team of researchers led by LMU virologist Professor J-rgen Haas has been studying a novel, recently discovered mechanism that pathogenic viruses exploit for this purpose, and their latest results could point the way to new antiviral therapies. The mechanism is based on the production of short RNA molecules, called microRNAs, by the virus.

24 Apr 2010

NPAF urges Colorado Governor to exercise line item veto of $17.9M reduction in 2011 Medicaid program

The National Patient Advocate Foundation, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of creating avenues of improved patient access to health care through public policy reform at the state and federal levels, delivered a letter to Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, urging him to exercise a line item veto of a $17.9 million reduction in Medicaid funding passed recently by the Colorado legislature as part of the fiscal year 2011 budget.

24 Apr 2010

Programs to address care for children born with SCD during adulthood

Forty years ago, children born with sickle cell disease (SCD) were not expected to live past their teenage years. Today, medical advances are allowing children to live well into adulthood, raising concerns over who is going to care for these patients as adults. However, programs are underway to address these concerns, as reported in the March/April edition of Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, published by the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON).

24 Apr 2010

IPO stands shoulder to shoulder with chain pharmacies to stop frontline health care cuts

The Independent Pharmacists Association of Ontario said they will stand shoulder to shoulder with chain pharmacies in order to stop the massive frontline health care cuts proposed by the McGuinty government.

24 Apr 2010

Complete revascularization reduces mortality rate in CAD patients

A 3-year, retrospective study by cardiologists from the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and the University of Minnesota determined that 28.8% of patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) who did not undergo complete revascularization had a higher mortality rate than patients completely revascularized. Results of this study appear in the May issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

24 Apr 2010

AlloMap molecular expression test reduces need for invasive heart-muscle biopsies

Monitoring rejection in heart transplantation patients with a simple blood test co-developed by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center physician-scientist Dr. Mario Deng in 2005 can safely reduce their need for invasive heart-muscle biopsies, a new study has found.

24 Apr 2010

ACE, Lilly Diabetes create "Diabetes Disaster Plan"

The Power of Prevention: Diabetes Disaster Plan is a checklist of essential items and tips to help diabetes patients prepare for the unexpected. Since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, ACE and Lilly Diabetes have worked together to create a comprehensive checklist of items for diabetes patients to prepare in anticipation of disaster.

24 Apr 2010

Cardiola's m.pulse MCP based system improves cardiac function in stable CHF patients

Cardiola AG announced today that the Company's CE-Marked m.pulse® Muscular CounterPulsation ("MCP")-based system demonstrated "an immediate improvement of cardiac output with non-invasive means" in a patient population of advanced yet stable chronic heart failure. The effects could be shown in 22 patients over three consecutive days.

24 Apr 2010

AFFiRiS' AD02 Alzheimer's vaccine candidate in phase II clinical testing

AFFiRiS AG's clinical Alzheimer's vaccine candidate AD02 has already progressed to phase II clinical testing. It may therefore be possible to confirm the efficacy of the vaccine as early as during 2012. Indeed the start of this efficacy study comes only five months after the completion of the corresponding phase I study. The company is active in several disease areas and is currently developing a total of twelve prospective products in all stages of the development pipeline up to clinical phase II.

24 Apr 2010

Prevention and nonsurgical treatment options to prevent low back pain and protect spine

Back and neck problems can be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, injury, strain or osteoarthritis. "Although more than 75 percent of Americans will experience some back pain during their lifetime, about 90 percent of cases are resolved without surgery," stated John K. Ratliff, MD, FACS, a Philadelphia spine surgeon and American Association of Neurological Surgeons spokesperson.

24 Apr 2010

CMS actuary: Health reform will cover more people, cost more than originally projected

"In the first comprehensive look by neutral experts" of the health law, The Associated Press reports that "More Americans will be covered, but costs are also going up. Economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department concluded in a report issued Thursday that the health care remake will achieve Obama's aim of expanding health insurance — adding 34 million to the coverage rolls.

24 Apr 2010

Study: 28.8% of CAD patients who fails to undergo complete revascularization face higher mortality rate

23 Apr 2010

Advances in understanding of cardiac-specific genes in heart development

Researchers at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital (THI at St. Luke's) announced today the results of research which they believe marks a significant advance in understanding how cardiac-specific genes are turned on during the development of the heart in mice embryos.

23 Apr 2010

More tips to protect lungs on elevated-ozone days

It's a harmless-looking pale blue gas, a relative of the oxygen molecule that sustains life. In the upper atmosphere, a layer of it protects us from the sun's harmful rays.

23 Apr 2010

Chronic News and Research

Electronic primary care records can help identify untreated patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease

Urging school children to pay attention to dairy intake may be too late to optimize their bone health: Research

Chokeberry extract reduces weight gain in insulin-resistant animals

Nycomed, Merck enter co-promotion agreement for Daxas in Canada and Europe

Serum cortisol levels linked with increased mortality in patients with ACS: Research

Temperature-sensing ability in proteins remain a mystery

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

NPAF urges Colorado Governor to exercise line item veto of $17.9M reduction in 2011 Medicaid program

Programs to address care for children born with SCD during adulthood

IPO stands shoulder to shoulder with chain pharmacies to stop frontline health care cuts

Complete revascularization reduces mortality rate in CAD patients

AlloMap molecular expression test reduces need for invasive heart-muscle biopsies

ACE, Lilly Diabetes create "Diabetes Disaster Plan"

Cardiola's m.pulse MCP based system improves cardiac function in stable CHF patients

AFFiRiS' AD02 Alzheimer's vaccine candidate in phase II clinical testing

Prevention and nonsurgical treatment options to prevent low back pain and protect spine

CMS actuary: Health reform will cover more people, cost more than originally projected

Study: 28.8% of CAD patients who fails to undergo complete revascularization face higher mortality rate

Advances in understanding of cardiac-specific genes in heart development

More tips to protect lungs on elevated-ozone days

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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