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SAR236553/REGN727 antibody reduces LDL by up to 72% in patients

A novel monoclonal antibody identified in a new study dramatically lowered circulating LDL cholesterol by 40 percent to 72 percent, a development with potential to provide a new option for patients who are resistant to cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins or to the current standard of care, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Carotid artery stenting safe and effective in older adults

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a multicenter team of investigators have found that carotid artery stenting (CAS) is safe and effective in patients age 70 and older.

27 Mar 2012

Study clarifies conflicting reports for clot aspiration and abciximab administration

The anti-platelet drug abciximab, delivered directly to lesions caused by a heart attack, significantly decreased damage to the heart muscle in high-risk patients while clot aspiration showed no impact, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

From Medtronic 27 Mar 2012

Bariatric surgery better than standard medical treatment for severe type 2 diabetes

In the first published study of its kind, researchers from the Catholic University/Policlinico Gemelli in Rome, Italy, and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center found that bariatric surgery dramatically outperforms standard medical treatment of severe type 2 diabetes.

27 Mar 2012

Simple OB/GYN screening may identify risk of heart disease among women

Simple screening implemented in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinics may identify previously undetected heart disease risk among women and has the potential to greatly increase education about prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in female patients, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Lowering LDL at younger age can reduce risk of CHD

Coronary atherosclerosis - a hardening of the arteries due to a build-up of fat and cholesterol - can lead to heart attacks and other forms of coronary heart disease (CHD). Lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, reduces the risk of CHD, and researchers found that lowering LDL beginning early in life resulted in a three-fold greater reduction in the risk of CHD than treatment with a statin started later in life, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Study finds imbalance between growth of PCI centers and the U.S. population

There is an imbalance between the rapid growth of cardiac catheterization laboratories, which provide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, relative to the growth in the overall U.S. population, as well as patients who experience an acute heart attack, or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to a study presented March 25 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

27 Mar 2012

New compendium on head injury biomechanics

SAE International offers a 3-volume set Head Injury Biomechanics, edited by Jeffrey A. Pike, which is designed to aid those studying head injury from a broad range of causes, including transportation, falls, sports, personal violence, and blast-related.

26 Mar 2012

Lower BMI increases risk during insertion of ICDs

Patients who are underweight or small in stature are twice as likely to experience complications or die during insertion of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) compared to obese and normal-weight patients, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

26 Mar 2012

Medica Foundation awards $2.5 million in grants to 104 recipients

The Medica Foundation in 2011 awarded $2.5 million in grants to 104 recipients across five funding priority areas. The awards include $1 million in longitudinal grants to five Minnesota organizations. Those grant amounts range from $100,000 to $300,000 each and are designed to provide funding to the recipients over a three-year period.

26 Mar 2012

Raisins may help lower blood pressure

If you have slightly higher than normal blood pressure - known as prehypertension - consider eating a handful of raisins. New data suggest that, among individuals with mild increases in blood pressure, the routine consumption of raisins (three times a day) may significantly lower blood pressure, especially when compared to eating other common snacks, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

26 Mar 2012

Stem cells from own bone marrow improve heart function

A research network led by a Mayo Clinic physician found that stem cells derived from heart failure patients' own bone marrow and injected into their hearts improved the function of the left ventricle, the heart's pumping chamber. Researchers also found that certain types of the stem cells were associated with the largest improvement and warrant further study.

26 Mar 2012

Population-wide community and clinical prevention program reduces cardiovascular risk profile

A population-wide community and clinical prevention program involving 10,000 adults meaningfully reduced the cardiovascular (CV) risk profile among a substantial portion of the population as indicated by those participating in screenings. Findings also indicate the level of improvements differ by gender for specific cardiovascular risk factors.

26 Mar 2012

Commensal bacteria may play an important role in influencing and controlling allergic inflammation

When poet Walt Whitman wrote that we "contain multitudes," he was speaking metaphorically, but he was correct in the literal sense. Every human being carries over 100 trillion individual bacterial cells within the intestine -- ten times more cells than comprise the body itself.

26 Mar 2012

PCI may be an excellent option for STEMI patients 90 years and older

Selected patients 90 years and older who experience an acute heart attack, or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), have reasonable outcomes with coronary stenting, and should be considered for reperfusion therapy, based on a scientific poster being presented at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

26 Mar 2012

Blockages in right coronary artery are most common places for coronary dissection

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital discovered that blockages in the right coronary artery and those in bending areas of the coronary artery are the most common places for coronary dissection, a tear in the artery that can occur during balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries.

26 Mar 2012

Well-balanced diet and exercise can prevent colorectal cancer

When Dessa Ledet repeatedly experienced pain on the right of her body, she never dreamed she would hear the words "you have cancer" when she woke up from a colonoscopy. In fact, she didn't believe that almost three years after her diagnosis she would run in MD Anderson's seventh annual Sprint for Colorectal Oncology Prevention and Education (SCOPE) Run on Saturday, March 24.

26 Mar 2012

Doctors may be driven out of practice by tests

Your doctor, after a decade of rigorous training and 20 years of experience, may be driven out of practice by a $300 million industry that sells tests.

26 Mar 2012

Periodontal treatment may decrease medical care costs for people with diabetes

Medical costs are lower for people with diabetes who receive treatment for gum disease, according to a study presented today to the American Association for Dental Research by Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat of the University of Pennsylvania.

26 Mar 2012

High-fat, low-carb foods linked with increased risk of heart attack in obese people

High-fat, low-carb foods are a popular choice for dieters, but new laboratory research by University of Alabama at Birmingham cardiologists indicates these may be detrimental to the health of people who have ischemic cardiovascular disease or a predisposition to heart attacks.

26 Mar 2012