Heart Failure News and Research

RSS

Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction.

Antibiotic use common at the end of life

More than one-quarter of hospice patients receive antibiotics in their last week of life, despite the absence of documented infection in most cases, US researchers report.

25 Jan 2013

Research on dystrophin gene sequence could lead to treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is caused by the largest human gene, a complex chemical leviathan that has confounded scientists for decades. Research conducted at the University of Missouri and described this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has identified significant sections of the gene that could provide hope to young patients and families.

23 Jan 2013

Chronic heart failure treatment, Inspra (eplerenone), accepted for use within NHS Wales

Inspra (eplerenone) has now been accepted by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) for use in adult patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) NYHA class II, in combination with standard optimal therapy...

22 Jan 2013

CRF to sponsor 8th International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease

The final agenda for the Eighth International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, is now available online.

19 Jan 2013

Medications often prescribed for PAH could affect heart health of treated patients

A research team with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta reported findings that significantly improve understanding of how widely used drugs in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) affect the heart health of treated patients.

18 Jan 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim initiates enrollment in Phase III IFN-free HCV trial

Today, Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the first patients have been enrolled in the company's pivotal Phase III interferon (IFN)-free hepatitis C (HCV) clinical trial programme, HCVerso.

18 Jan 2013

Lack or excess of CaM kinase II affects heart muscle cell stiffness

A certain enzyme, the CaM kinase II, keeps the cardiac muscle flexible. By transferring phosphate groups to the giant protein titin, it relaxes the muscle cells. This is reported by researchers led by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Linke of the Institute of Physiology at the Ruhr Universität in the journal Circulation Research. In failing hearts, which don't pump enough blood around the body, the scientists found an overly active CaM kinase II.

18 Jan 2013

Intermountain Risk Score tool can predict mortality among trauma patients

A simple, inexpensive blood test performed on trauma patients upon admission can help doctors easily identify patients at greatest risk of death, according to a new study by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

18 Jan 2013

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, Milner-Fenwick announce partnership

Milner-Fenwick, a multi-media publisher for the healthcare community, and the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) announced a partnership which includes the AAHFN's endorsement of Milner-Fenwick's Heart Failure Patient Education Video Series.

17 Jan 2013

Boston Scientific initiates Blazer Open-Irrigated Catheter clinical trial in atrial fibrillation

The first patient has been treated in the Boston Scientific Corporation ZERO AF clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Blazer Open-Irrigated Temperature Ablation Catheter in patients with symptomatic, drug refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

17 Jan 2013

FDA approves St. Jude Medical’s Merlin.net Patient Care Network

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the next-generation Merlin.net Patient Care Network (PCN), a secure, Internet-based remote care system for patients with implanted medical devices.

17 Jan 2013

Top-line results from Amgen’s Aranesp Phase 3 trial on heart failure and anemia

Amgen today announced top-line results of the Phase 3 Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) RED-HF (Reduction of Events With Darbepoetin Alfa in Heart Failure) Trial.

17 Jan 2013

Patients with COPD more likely to develop serious bacterial infections

It is well known that COPD patients run a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. However, a new thesis from Lund University in Sweden shows that they are also at higher risk of other bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumococcal and staphylococcal infections that can cause serious illness.

16 Jan 2013