Heart News and Research

RSS

Bone marrow stem cells offer potential treatment for patients with peripheral arterial disease

Bone marrow stem cells suspended in X-ray-visible microbubbles dramatically improve the body's ability to build new blood vessels in the upper leg-providing a potential future treatment for those with peripheral arterial disease or PAD, say researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

18 Mar 2010

Medtronic Arctic Front Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System: PMA submission for FDA approval complete

Medtronic, Inc. today announced it has completed Pre-Market Approval (PMA) submission in consideration for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Medtronic Arctic Front® Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System, which is designed for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), an irregular quivering of the upper chambers of the heart that starts and stops on its own. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia in the United States, with an estimated three million patients suffering from this condition.

18 Mar 2010

Loneliness can raise blood pressure

Chronic feelings of loneliness take a toll on blood pressure over time, causing a marked increase after four years, according to a new study at the University of Chicago.

18 Mar 2010

Tips to avoid exercise-related injuries in baby boomers

The March issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource covers what's behind boomeritis. Baby boomers, now in their 50s and 60s, are fitter and more athletic longer into their lives, compared with their parents' generation.

18 Mar 2010

Studies link atmospheric CO pollution to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, cardiac mortality

In the healthy rat, prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) under conditions that mimic urban pollution leads to changes to cardiac morphology and function. Compensatory mechanisms develop in these animals to sustain normal cardiac activity, but they become more vulnerable to heart disease.

18 Mar 2010

Device manages care online for chronic disease patients

The Cleveland Plain Dealer: A pilot project at the Cleveland Clinic that monitored 250 patients with chronic diseases showed patients were able to increase the number of days between visits. The study used a medical device that shared daily patient data online with doctors and nurses and found that patients better managed their care using the system.

18 Mar 2010

New dental health awareness campaign targeting Massachusetts seniors

Universal Dental Plan newly launched its first ever dental health awareness campaign targeting Massachusetts seniors. Based on a large body of major medical research, the organization built its 2010 keynote outreach initiative around three main objectives -- to alert seniors on the high costs and acute health risks of delayed dentistry, educate them on easy and actionable ways to keep major dental problems at bay, and introduce them to a convenient solution that makes dentistry affordable for all.

18 Mar 2010

Toxins released by certain microalgae can contaminate seafood and become toxic to humans

Toxins released by certain microalgae can contaminate fish and shellfish which then become toxic to humans. Researchers from CNRS and CEA have, for the first time, identified the mechanisms of action of two of these toxins.

18 Mar 2010

Purified form of omega 3 curbs precancerous bowel polyps

A purified form of an omega 3 cuts the number and size of precancerous bowel growths (polyps) in people whose genetic make-up predisposes them to bowel cancer, finds research published ahead of print in the journal Gut.

18 Mar 2010

As Medicare pay shrinks, some California doctors hike patient fees

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes about a California cardiology group that has confronted steep Medicare cuts with a tactic that may irk patients who already face soaring health costs.

18 Mar 2010

Cut looms for Medicare payments to doctors

Marketwatch/The Seattle Times reports on the looming 21 percent cut to physicians' Medicare payments. "The cut was to take effect March 1 until Congress delayed it by 30 days. The Senate then voted last Wednesday to postpone the cut an additional six months as part of a larger bill that extends unemployment benefits. The measure now moves to the House."

17 Mar 2010

AstraZeneca's CRESTOR: Health Canada approves new indication

AstraZeneca announced today that Health Canada has approved CRESTOR (rosuvastatin calcium) to reduce the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), nonfatal stroke, and coronary artery revascularization in adult patients without documented history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events, but with at least two conventional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

17 Mar 2010

SBRT may improve survival rates for lung-cancer patients: Study

A radiation therapy that uses multiple radiation beams to target tumors precisely has been shown to eliminate the primary tumor and ultimately may improve survival rates for lung-cancer patients unable to undergo surgery, according to UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians who led a national clinical trial of the treatment.

17 Mar 2010

Protalix BioTherapeutics commences clinical trial of human acetylcholinesterase for biodefense indications

Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a phase I clinical trial of PRX-105, the Company's plant cell expressed pegylated recombinant human acetylcholinesterase product candidate in development for biodefense indications. The trial is designed to study the safety of PRX-105 by administering a bolus intravenous injection of PRX-105 in healthy volunteers.

17 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 17, 2010

Today's news continues to focus on Democratic leaders' efforts to finalize their health reform package and gather the votes necessary to gain House passage.

17 Mar 2010

TRITON-TIMI 38 study evaluates response rates in patients with common genetic variant in ABCB1 gene

A new analysis of the TRITON-TIMI 38 study evaluated response rates in patients with a common genetic variant in the ABCB1 gene. Patients enrolled in the TRITON-TIMI 38 study were treated with dual antiplatelet therapy with either Plavix® (clopidogrel) plus aspirin or Effient® (prasugrel) plus aspirin and managed with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event.

17 Mar 2010

Research data: WTC collapse caused potentially dangerous heart problems in responders on-site

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine are presenting more than 20 ground-breaking studies at the American College of Cardiology 59th annual scientific session (ACC.10) in Atlanta. Their research includes data showing that the World Trade Center collapse has caused potentially dangerous heart problems in responders on-site.

17 Mar 2010

Genetic test helps reduce hospitalization rates for heart patients on warfarin

Hospitalization rates for heart patients taking warfarin, the world's most-prescribed blood thinner, dropped by approximately 30 percent when genetic information was available to doctors prescribing the drug, researchers from Medco Health Solutions, Inc.-- in association with the Medco Research Institute™ -- and Mayo Clinic announced today.

17 Mar 2010

Neovasc Reducer three-year follow-up data presented at 2010 ACC annual meeting

Neovasc Inc., a developer of novel technologies used to treat vascular disease, today presented results from the follow-up phase of the initial clinical trial of its Neovasc Reducer(TM) product at the American College of Cardiology 2010 annual meeting. The Neovasc Reducer is a novel implantable product designed to treat heart disease patients who suffer from refractory angina. The new data shows that three years after implantation of the Reducer, the majority of patients continued to show measurable improvement in angina symptoms.

17 Mar 2010

Patent applications continue to alter medical landscape to improve patient care

Over the past 40 years, more than 2,400 patents and patent applications-pioneering modern medicine with the devices and drugs that advance minimally invasive treatments-have been filed by members of the Society of Interventional Radiology.

17 Mar 2010