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Malnutrition, inflammation complicate blood cholesterol readings in CKD patients

To understand the health effects of high cholesterol levels, doctors first need to assess malnutrition and inflammation status in their chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

24 Sep 2010

UC San Diego receives grant to study hypoxia susceptibility

Gabriel G. Haddad, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego has received a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Health's Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

24 Sep 2010

Takeda underscores commitment to ACTOS following FDA and EMA announcements for rosiglitazone

Following today’s announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for rosiglitazone in the U.S. and Europe, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited underscore the company’s commitment to ACTOS® (pioglitazone HCl) and ACTOS-containing medications, and to the millions of people living with type 2 diabetes.

24 Sep 2010

Technologic innovation — Telephones! — could save health system money

Health-coaching more patients over the phone could help save the system money according to a study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine and noticed by the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog. "Typically this kind of care management, as it's called, is offered to people who have trouble managing their chronic conditions or who are facing a big treatment decision — such as surgery or medical management for lower back pain.

24 Sep 2010

Scientists discover molecular playbook to block cardiac hypertrophy

Like a well-crafted football play designed to block the opposing team's offensive drive to the end zone, the body constantly executes complex 'plays' or sequences of events to initiate, or block, different actions or functions.

24 Sep 2010

FDA designates AMT-080 gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT) Holding N.V. a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated AMT-080, a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) as an orphan drug.

24 Sep 2010

TAVI procedure reduces mortality rate in patients with aortic stenosis

Just released data from a clinical trial shows promise for a new minimally invasive treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are too sick for traditional forms of open-heart surgery. As compared to standard medical therapy, the new procedure, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), significantly reduced mortality rates in patients who received the new valve.

24 Sep 2010

Breast cancer incidence drops, linked to decline in HRT use

A new Canadian study shows that a significant drop in breast cancer incidence among post-menopausal women from 2002 to 2004 coincided with a sharp drop in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use during the same period. This is the first study to show the link between HRT use and breast cancer among Canadian women.

24 Sep 2010

Avandia restricted by the FDA and EMEA

The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has restricted the use of the controversial diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) due to its propensity to increase cardiovascular disease risk.

24 Sep 2010

Lutonix presents data on Moxy Drug Coated Balloon Catheter at TCT meeting

Lutonix, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, today announced six-month data from three separate drug coated balloon studies presented at the TransCatheter Therapeutics (TCT) meeting this week demonstrated the ability of the Moxy Drug Coated Balloon Catheter to inhibit restenosis in both peripheral and coronary arteries.

24 Sep 2010

Type 1 diabetes, early recognition, telltale signs

Though they may present in a similar fashion, type 1 diabetes mellitus is vastly different from type 2, and Ralph Schmeltz, MD, incoming president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, says it’s important to recognize and diagnose it early.

23 Sep 2010

Pet dog decreases risk of obesity in kids: Study

According to the latest research in England, children who have a dog for a pet are less likely to be obese. Children who are obese in childhood are at increased risk of developing a range of chronic health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, bone and joint problems, asthma, disrupted sleep patterns, liver and gall bladder disease, early physical maturity and depression.

23 Sep 2010

Study reveals elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in South Asians than other Asian immigrants

South Asians living in the United States are at much higher risk for type 2 diabetes than are whites and immigrants from other Asian countries, a new small study reveals.

23 Sep 2010

Linagliptin clinical trial data shows positive result for type 2 diabetes treatment

New data from the linagliptin late stage clinical trial programme were presented this week at the 46th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

23 Sep 2010

Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health draws more than $40 billion in resources

Culminating a global summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Heads of State and Government, along with the private sector, foundations, international organizations, civil society and research organizations, kicked off a concerted world-wide effort to save the lives of more than 16 million women and children.

23 Sep 2010

Athersys presents MultiStem phase I study results at TCT Conference

Athersys, Inc. announced at its presentation at the Transvascular Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference held in Washington, D.C., updated results from its phase I clinical trial of MultiStem, its allogeneic cell therapy product, administered to individuals following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

23 Sep 2010

SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart wins 2010 Kerrin Rennie Award

On Sept. 15, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart was awarded the 2010 Kerrin Rennie Award for Excellence in Medical Technology by the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA).

23 Sep 2010

Gersak develops Convergent Procedure for atrial fibrillation

During the recent Atrial Fibrillation Session of the Techno College at the European Association of Cardiac Thoracic Surgeons in Geneva, Switzerland, Professor Borut Gersak, Head of Cardiac Surgery from University Medical Center in Ljubljana, Slovenia challenged his audience of more than 1,000 medical professionals to think differently about existing atrial fibrillation surgical approaches.

23 Sep 2010

Erasmus Medical Center Professor to present LEADERS trial result at TCT symposium

Three-year data from the prospective, randomized LEADERS trial demonstrate the equivalence of a biolimus A9-eluting stent with a biodegradable polymer vs. a sirolimus-eluting stent with a durable polymer. The results will be presented at the 22nd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

23 Sep 2010

Study finds adverse cardiac events rare during year after negative cardiac CTA scan

Adverse cardiac events are rare one year after patients are admitted to the emergency room with low-to-moderate risk chest pain and are discharged due to a negative cardiac computed tomography angiogram (CTA), according to a study in the October issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. Cardiac CTA is a noninvasive heart-imaging test that determines whether fatty deposits or calcium deposits have built up in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.

23 Sep 2010