Heart Failure News and Research

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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.

Folic acid ‘may benefit diabetics’

Folic acid supplementation can significantly reduce homocysteine levels and may therefore offer an approach for lowering cardiovascular risk among patients with Type 2 diabetes, report researchers.

2 Jul 2012

Current diagnosis and treatment approaches for rheumatoid arthritis

In the realm of deadly and disabling diseases, conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer's seem to attract the most media attention. But there are others that take a similarly high toll, and rheumatoid arthritis is one of them, Mayo Clinic researchers say. It is a common cause of disability: 1 of every 5 rheumatoid arthritis patients is unable to work two years after diagnosis, and within five years, that rises to one-third. Life expectancy drops by up to five years.

2 Jul 2012

Recurring diabetic foot ulcers ‘predictable’

The risk for recurring diabetic foot ulcers is predicted by clinical characteristics, such as existing ulcer location, bone infection, and diabetes control, demonstrates research published in International Wound Journal.

29 Jun 2012

Liraglutide efficacy in Japanese patients “easy” to predict

Liraglutide therapy is an effective alternative to basal-supported oral therapy for some Japanese patients with diabetes, while it is completely ineffective for others, report researchers.

29 Jun 2012

UCLA Heart Transplant Program performs 2,000th heart transplant surgery

The UCLA Heart Transplant Program performed its 2,000th heart transplant surgery earlier this month, becoming the first program in the western United States and only the second in the world to achieve this remarkable milestone.

28 Jun 2012

Harmonizing prescription drug plans can help save millions of dollars

Taxpayers could save millions of dollars if hospitals and provincial governments harmonized their prescription drug plans, new research suggests.

28 Jun 2012

Prevalence of significant CAD in patients with chest pain symptoms is lower than expected in Europe

Preliminary findings from the EVINCI study show that the prevalence of "significant" coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain symptoms is lower than expected in Europe. In as much as 75% of this population an accurate non-invasive screening could avoid unnecessary and costly invasive procedures.

28 Jun 2012

Arena receives FDA approval for Belviq to treat obesity

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, for chronic weight management.

28 Jun 2012

Two coffees a day keep heart failure risk at bay

Drinking two cups of coffee a day may significantly reduce risk for heart failure, while anymore than that could significantly increase the risk, researchers say.

27 Jun 2012

Taking steps to reduce diabetes risk

Modest amounts of daily walking can significantly reduce the risk for incident diabetes in obese and relatively inactive individuals, show findings from a US study.

27 Jun 2012

Broken heart syndrome may protect the heart from adrenaline overload

A condition that temporarily causes heart failure in people who experience severe stress might actually protect the heart from very high levels of adrenaline, according to a new study published in the journal Circulation. The research provides the first physiological explanation for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also called "broken heart syndrome" because it affects people who suffer severe emotional stress after bereavement, and suggests guidance for treatment.

27 Jun 2012

Study: Moderate coffee intake reduces risk of heart failure

While current American Heart Association heart failure prevention guidelines warn against habitual coffee consumption, some studies propose a protective benefit, and still others find no association at all. Amidst this conflicting information, research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center attempts to shift the conversation from a definitive yes or no, to a question of how much.

27 Jun 2012

Study finds increase in incidence of gout and hyperuricemia in the U.S.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that the incidence of gout and hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels) in the U.S. has risen significantly over the last 20 years and is associated with major medical disorders like hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

27 Jun 2012

Telemedicine could reduce admission rates

Patients with diabetes, heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have fewer emergency hospital admissions when receiving a telehealth intervention than their counterparts who receive usual care, say UK researchers.

26 Jun 2012

Enrollment and disenrollment in hospice linked to race

Although use of hospice services is increasing dramatically, a study led by Regenstrief Institute investigator Kathleen T. Unroe, M.D., MHA, an assistant research professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, has found that nonwhite Medicare patients with heart failure are 20 percent less likely to enroll in hospice than their white counterparts.

25 Jun 2012

Deferasirox reduces elevated iron levels in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at six other institutions have recently tested a treatment for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, a blood-related malignancy that involves the ineffective production of blood cells, leaving patients anemic and in need of frequent blood transfusions. Because the body has no natural means to reduce iron that accumulates from repeated transfusions, patients' organs can become iron overloaded, leading to heart failure, liver injury, susceptibility to infection, and other complications.

23 Jun 2012

Genentech's Perjeta helps people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer live longer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced today that people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) lived significantly longer (overall survival) when treated with the combination of Perjeta (pertuzumab), Herceptin (trastuzumab) and docetaxel chemotherapy, compared to Herceptin and docetaxel chemotherapy alone in the Phase III CLEOPATRA study.

23 Jun 2012

EC grants marketing authorization for AMAG's ferumoxytol to treat IDA

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for ferumoxytol, an intravenous (IV) iron therapy to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

23 Jun 2012

Emory scientists identify new type of anti-inflammatory compound

Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have identified a new type of anti-inflammatory compound that may be useful in treating a wide range of conditions, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. These compounds inhibit the enzyme Nox2, part of a family of enzymes responsible for producing reactive oxygen species (ROS).

22 Jun 2012

Depomed acquires all rights to Zipsor from Xanodyne

Depomed, Inc. today announced that it has acquired all rights to Zipsor (diclofenac potassium) Liquid Filled Capsules from Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Zipsor is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indicated for relief of mild to moderate acute pain in adults.

22 Jun 2012