Congenital Heart Disease News and Research

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Scientists go beyond single-gene models to probe inborn heart defects

Studying genes that regulate early heart development in animals, scientists have solved a puzzle about one gene's role, finding that it acts in concert with a related gene. Their finding contributes to understanding how the earliest stages of heart development may go awry, resulting in congenital heart defects in humans.

12 Jan 2010

NHLBI grant for identifying genetic and epigenetic causes of human congenital heart disease

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital have received funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to support their search for undiscovered gene defects that cause congenital heart disease. The $4.19 million, 6-year grant is part of the Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (PCGC), which seeks to identify genetic and epigenetic causes of human congenital heart disease, and relate genetic variants present in the congenital heart disease patient population to clinical outcomes.

23 Dec 2009

Landmark study provides new insight into congenital heart defects

Researchers from the UC San Diego, School of Medicine and colleagues have identified a new gene, ETS-1, that is linked to human congenital heart defects. The landmark study, recently published online in the journal of Human Molecular Genetics, provides important insights into some of the most prevalent forms of congenital heart defects in humans, including ventricular septal defects and potentially hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a uniformly fatal heart abnormality.

18 Dec 2009

Masimo PI promising for continuous and noninvasive monitoring of systemic blood flow in preterm infants

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, today announced that new research findings, published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Perinatology, show that Masimo perfusion index (PI) accurately predicts low superior vena cava flow (SVC) in preterm, very-low-birth-weight infants--representing a promising method for continuous and noninvasive monitoring of systemic blood flow.

17 Dec 2009

Embryonic signalling pathways suggest a new therapeutic approach to recover from heart attack

Almost a century after it was discovered in fruit flies with notches in their wings, the Notch signalling pathway may come to play an important role in the recovery from heart attacks. In a study published today in Circulation Research, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Monterotondo, Italy, are the first to prove that this signalling pathway targets heart muscle cells and thus reveal its crucial role in heart development and repair

10 Dec 2009

Manuscript on KBR method to be published in American Journal of Cardiology

VentriPoint Diagnostics Ltd. ("VentriPoint" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that the manuscript entitled, "Accuracy of Knowledge Based Reconstruction (KBR) for Measurement of Right Ventricular Volume and Function in Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot" has been accepted for publication in the American Journal of Cardiology.

9 Dec 2009

NHLBI-supported research shares new strategies on hypertension, heart defect and air pollution

New education strategies for better controlling hypertension and research suggesting a possible link between short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution and increased risk of constricted blood vessels are among the research highlights from studies supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the American Heart Association's 2009 Scientific Sessions in Orlando held Nov. 14-18.

20 Nov 2009

Sildenafil drug improves cardiac performance in young adults with congenital heart disease

Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single-ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

19 Nov 2009

Developmental biologists to participate in $100 million federal 'Bench to Bassinet' network

Developmental biologists at the University of Pittsburgh have been chosen to participate in a $100 million federal "Bench to Bassinet" network that is dedicated to learning about the formation of the cardiovascular system and applying that knowledge to create new diagnostic and intervention strategies for congenital heart disease.

18 Nov 2009

Sildenafil improves heart function in youngsters with single ventricle congenital heart disease

Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

18 Nov 2009

Tel Aviv University develops innovative algorithms to combat Intra-uterine growth restrictions for healthy babies

When a fetus is smaller than expected for the number of weeks of pregnancy, due to associated problems like a poorly developed heart, health concerns as severe as brain damage can result.

11 Nov 2009

Academic Health Center receives 128 grants totaling nearly $35 million in federal stimulus money

Academic Health Center scientists, physicians, and research centers have attracted 128 grants totaling nearly $35 million in federal stimulus money (as of Nov. 10) since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was approved in February 2009. This will result in a total economic impact of more than $105 million; according to the National Institutes of Health, $1 of research funding multiplies to more than $2 of goods and services in the economy.

11 Nov 2009

PAH patients face life-threatening risks from medication errors

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients using infused drugs have suffered serious injury or in some cases died from medication errors in hospitals and other inpatient settings, according to a peer-reviewed study by Accredo Health Group and several university hospitals that surveyed doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

4 Nov 2009

New CCS guidelines and position papers for physicians and nurse practitioners

Several new guidelines and position papers offering the most up to date information to ensure that clinicians practice evidence-based medicine were released at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009 this week.

28 Oct 2009

Medtronic reports outcome of its Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve trial

Clinical trial results published in this week’s Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) describe six-month outcomes for patients using the Melody® Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve from Medtronic, Inc.. The valve is implanted through a catheter procedure instead of open-heart surgery in patients with congenital heart disease affecting the function of their pulmonary valve.

28 Oct 2009

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes funds multi-year project

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GICD) will receive $10 million over the next 6 years to find the genetic causes of congenital heart disease.

28 Oct 2009

Transcatheter valve may eliminate repeat surgeries in children with heart defects; multicenter study shows good outcomes

Children born with certain heart defects have impaired blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery leading to the lungs, requiring implanted devices (known as right-ventricular outflow tract conduits) to maintain the flow. However, these conduits fail over time, and children typically face multiple open-heart operations during their lives to reopen the passage.

27 Oct 2009

OptumHealth’s conference to focus on advancements in fetal diagnosis and treatment

OptumHealth Inc. has teamed with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to present a two-day educational conference focused on clinical advancements in fetal diagnosis and treatment, neonatal care and pediatric care. The gathering runs through today, and is part of OptumHealth’s Network Spotlight Conferences program.

12 Oct 2009

Cardiac MRI exams gain prominence in the medical imaging market

Developments in imaging technology and software continue to help cardiac MRI exams gain prominence in the medical imaging market by meeting the demand for faster scan times and the ability to view areas of the body that were previously deemed impossible to image, according to "Medical Imaging Markets: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and Ultrasound" by healthcare market research firm Kalorama Information.

16 Sep 2009

Masimo SET pulse oximetry technology implemented in Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion and Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of 'America's Best Children's Hospitals', has completed its system-wide conversion to Masimo SET pulse oximetry technology.

26 Aug 2009

Congenital Heart Disease News and Research

Scientists go beyond single-gene models to probe inborn heart defects

NHLBI grant for identifying genetic and epigenetic causes of human congenital heart disease

Landmark study provides new insight into congenital heart defects

Masimo PI promising for continuous and noninvasive monitoring of systemic blood flow in preterm infants

Embryonic signalling pathways suggest a new therapeutic approach to recover from heart attack

Manuscript on KBR method to be published in American Journal of Cardiology

NHLBI-supported research shares new strategies on hypertension, heart defect and air pollution

Sildenafil drug improves cardiac performance in young adults with congenital heart disease

Developmental biologists to participate in $100 million federal 'Bench to Bassinet' network

Sildenafil improves heart function in youngsters with single ventricle congenital heart disease

Tel Aviv University develops innovative algorithms to combat Intra-uterine growth restrictions for healthy babies

Academic Health Center receives 128 grants totaling nearly $35 million in federal stimulus money

PAH patients face life-threatening risks from medication errors

New CCS guidelines and position papers for physicians and nurse practitioners

Medtronic reports outcome of its Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve trial

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes funds multi-year project

Transcatheter valve may eliminate repeat surgeries in children with heart defects; multicenter study shows good outcomes

OptumHealth’s conference to focus on advancements in fetal diagnosis and treatment

Cardiac MRI exams gain prominence in the medical imaging market

Masimo SET pulse oximetry technology implemented in Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

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