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Pollution increases risk for sudden cardiac arrest

The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study conducted by a team from Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center and The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

21 Sep 2010

NIH awards grant to discover drug for alcoholism

With the ultimate goal to discover a drug that one day treats alcoholism, a University of Houston (UH) pharmacy professor is working on pinpointing the mechanisms in the brain that respond to alcohol.

21 Sep 2010

GOP divided over health law repeal as White House readies midterm push

In the run up to November's midterm elections, President Obama will tout the new health law, hoping the consumer-friendly provisions taking effect this week will help erode ill will toward the overhaul, The Wall Street Journal reports. "Starting Thursday, insurers officially must adhere to about a half-dozen key changes under the law, including eliminating co-payments for preventive services and allowing children to stay on their parents' insurance policy until their 26th birthday.

21 Sep 2010

Bariatric surgery rates rise among adolescents

According to recent surveys more and more adolescents need bariatric surgery for morbid obesity. This procedure was earlier reserved only for adults. Researchers say that from 2005 to 2007, the rate of gastric banding has jumped nearly seven-fold among youths aged 13 to 20. The process involves placement of a band around the upper part of the stomach using a laparoscope. The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

21 Sep 2010

Childhood obesity linked to common cold virus

A new study has shown that obese children are more prone to carrying a common cold virus than slimmer children. The virus in question is adenovirus 36 and if the link is true then someday new obesity treatments might be tailored to attack the virus to treat or prevent childhood obesity. Childhood obesity affects 17% of American children and adolescents. The report appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

21 Sep 2010

New interventional technique effective for controlling hepatic arterial hemorrhage after PD

Delayed hepatic arterial hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is not a common but a fatal complication, occurring in 7% of all patients. Its ideal management remains unclear and controversial. A research article published on August 7, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The authors reported the clinical outcome of 9 patients with life-threatening hemorrhage from a ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after PD after treatment with a new interventional technique, namely placement of stent-grafts.

21 Sep 2010

Flu shots, heart attacks and flu prevention guidelines

According to a new British study yearly flu shots may protect against heart attacks, and the earlier in the season a shot is given the greater the protection. Niroshan Siriwardena, a professor of primary and pre-hospital health care at the University of Lincoln said, “The risk of getting a heart attack was reduced by 19 percent for those who had a vaccination in the past year.”

21 Sep 2010

ABL receives new patent for TherapyEdge and ViroScore technology

Advanced Biological Laboratories (ABL) S.A., a biomedical company engaged in the development and commercialization of personalized healthcare electronic medical record systems coupled with expert rules using decision support tools, is pleased to announce today that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office has issued a Notice of Allowance and the Patent Office of India has issued a new patent for our patent applications derived from our U.S. Patent Nos. 6,081,786 and 6,188,988 to Barry et al.

21 Sep 2010

Study: Capecitabine with concurrent radiation is effective for treating gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths in the world. The outcome of large gastric tumors and those with lymph node involvement remains poor after surgical resection. The optimal adjuvant therapy after surgical resection remains to be determined.

21 Sep 2010

GTRI becomes Veriwave Gold Certified Partner for leveraging WaveDeploy solution

Global Technology Resources, Inc., a Colorado-based I.T. integration consulting group, has announced a formal agreement with one of its strategic partners, VeriWave Inc., making GTRI one of only a handful of Gold Certified Partners in the country. By being a Gold Certified Partner, this gives GTRI the ability to advance its healthcare professional services offerings to the next level.

21 Sep 2010

Six3 gene safeguards future retina

New research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators adds to evidence that the Six3 gene functions like a doorman in the developing brain and visual system, safeguarding the future retina by keeping the region where the eye is forming free of a signaling protein capable of disrupting the process.

21 Sep 2010

FDA approves Medtronic's Integrity Coronary Stent System

Delivering another innovation for interventional cardiology, Medtronic, Inc.,announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the Integrity Coronary Stent System. The new platform for Medtronic's coronary stents, including the Integrity bare-metal stent, is based on an advance in biomedical engineering called continuous sinusoid technology that enables the exploration of other breakthrough device concepts such as a polymer free drug filled stent.

21 Sep 2010

Corindus announces clinical results of CorPath 200 System

Corindus Vascular Robotics announced the results of the first clinical study of the CorPath 200 System and invites attendees of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2010 conference (September 21-25 in Washington, DC) to experience firsthand the CorPath 200 System.

21 Sep 2010

Nurses union breaks from the Australian Labor party

The Queensland Nurses Union’s (QNU) association with the Labor party will not be renewed when it expires next year. Acting Premier Paul Lucas however feels it is not politically damaging. “I'm obviously disappointed that they're not renewing their affiliation but we deal with all sorts of unions whether they're affiliated or not,” he said. The decision however could cost the ALP $50,000 a year. QNU on the other hand feels that this break would give them more political flexibility.

20 Sep 2010

NQF endorses 8 outcome measures for pulmonary, cardiovascular conditions and care provided in ICU

To improve healthcare quality and give patients and providers more information about the results of care, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has endorsed eight outcome measures for pulmonary and cardiovascular conditions and care provided in the intensive care unit (ICU). This is the first in a set of patient outcome measures NQF is reviewing.

20 Sep 2010

Head-circumference charts for infants and toddlers may be inaccurate

The most common charts used by pediatricians to measure head growth in infants and toddlers may be inaccurate, potentially leading to delayed diagnoses, unnecessary tests, and parental worry, according to new research from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

20 Sep 2010

Examining the first wave of health overhaul changes coming this week

Houston Chronicle: Wider access and protections for health care consumers kick in on Thursday as a set of health law provisions take effect. "Most of this month's changes apply directly to the 12 million Texans covered by private health insurance plans, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Insurers may no longer charge co-payments, deductibles or co-insurance for preventive services.

20 Sep 2010

Crestor suppressed human cancer cells transplanted to mice

A drug commonly prescribed for people with high cholesterol may also be effective in treating prostate cancer, according to new research by Dr. Xiao-Yan Wen at St. Michael's Hospital.

20 Sep 2010

Medical errors continue to pose major risk to patients

Albany Times Union reports on continuing medical errors. "Health care reform consumed the nation for the last 12 months but, despite all the talk, the country took only baby steps toward reducing medical errors that injure and kill millions of hospital patients.

20 Sep 2010

Hospital chief tries to lead wellness push by example

USA Today reports on Margaret Sabin, CEO of Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, who is leading, by example, the employer wellness movement to make employees healthier. "Something of a renegade in her line of work, she believes hospitals — all in the medical community, in fact — are applying too little attention and resources to prevention. 'We can project exactly what will happen to an individual living an unhealthy lifestyle,' she says.

20 Sep 2010