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Filter more effective than diuretics for heart failure

Researchers in the U.S. say that filtering the blood works better than diuretic drugs to remove excess fluid in patients admitted to hospital for heart failure.

13 Mar 2006

Aspirin still the best for reducing the heart attack risk

New research has revealed that the addition of the blood-thinning drug Plavix to a daily dose of aspirin does not lower the risk of death, heart attack or stroke in high-risk patients.

13 Mar 2006

B vitamins and folic acid don't cut the risk of further heart attacks

Scientists have found that levels of the amino acid homocysteine may be high in people destined for a heart attack or stroke, and some studies in the past have linked homocysteine to an increased risk of heart disease.

13 Mar 2006

Study reveals mechanisms behind Thiazolidinediones used to treat type 2 diabetes

Thiazolidinediones (TZD's) are drugs commonly prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved agents are known as Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone).

13 Mar 2006

Mental stress induced ischemia more common than thought

Even when heart disease patients can pass stress tests done on a treadmill or with chemical stressors after treatment, their hearts may still suffer silent ischemia during mental stress, according to a new study in the Mar. 7, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

13 Mar 2006

Emergency departments score poorly in child-saving drills

A mock-drill study conducted in a third of North Carolina's hospital emergency departments (EDs) revealed that nearly all failed to properly stabilize seriously injured children during trauma simulations, according to a team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and Duke University Medical Center.

13 Mar 2006

Scientists exploit novel route to reverse enlarged hearts in obese mice

Working on genetically engineered obese mice with seriously thickened hearts, a condition call cardiac hypertrophy, scientists at Johns Hopkins have used a nerve protection and growth factor on the heart to mimic the activity of the brain hormone leptin, dramatically reducing the size of the heart muscle.

13 Mar 2006

New tools in the fight against pneumococci

New tools in the fight against pneumococci - the bugs targeted by vaccines recently announced by the Department of Health - are described by a team led by scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

13 Mar 2006

Smk-1 is the first known gene that regulates longevity without disrupting life-sustaining function

Within a hormone-triggered cascade of molecular signals that plays a crucial for a wide range of physiological functions, researchers for the very first time have identified a protein that functions specifically to extend lifespan and youthfulness - without disrupting fertility

13 Mar 2006

A more accurate method for measuring blood levels of endothelial progenitor cells

A more accurate method for measuring blood levels of specialized cells that circulate in the bloodstream and repair damage to the arterial lining has been discovered by Duke University Medical Center cardiologists.

13 Mar 2006

Sirolimus-releasing stents more effective than vascular brachytherapy for treating restenosis within a stent

David R. Holmes, Jr., M.D., of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and colleagues with the SISR trial compared the use of vascular brachytherapy (VBT - intra-coronary radiation therapy) with implantation of the sirolimus-eluting stent for the treatment of restenosis occurring within a previously placed bare-metal stent

13 Mar 2006

Using a growth factor to stimulate production of circulating endothelial progenitor cells improves cell production and mobility in arterial disease

Using a growth factor to stimulate production of circulating endothelial progenitor cells increases the numbers of these vascular regenerative cells, improves mobility, and potentially could improve blood vessel function in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

13 Mar 2006

New test for detecting small amounts of proteins in the blood

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have developed a paradigm-shifting method for detecting small amounts of proteins in the blood.

13 Mar 2006

Transplanting a pair of kidneys with limited function into one patient may offer one solution to short supply of donated kidneys

Transplanting a pair of kidneys with limited function into one patient can be just as successful as the standard procedure in which a patient receives a single kidney, according to new research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

13 Mar 2006

Anxiety restricts blood flow in some patients

The fear of public speaking might cause some people to do more than just break out in a cold sweat and battle stomach-churning butterflies - it could prove to have consequences for their heart health.

13 Mar 2006

Positive effects of tight blood glucose control can be seen more than a decade later in diabetics

People with diabetes who keep their blood sugar in check today will probably have a far lower chance of developing foot pain or other nerve damage tomorrow, according to new research results from a national study.

9 Mar 2006

Diabetics shown to have increased heart muscle mass

Diabetes strongly increases the risk of heart failure in all ethnic groups, but early effects of diabetes on the heart may differ depending on whether the subjects are white, African-American, Hispanic or Chinese.

9 Mar 2006

Whites have higher blood serum levels of perfluorochemicals than Hispanics and blacks

Whites have three times higher blood serum levels of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) than Hispanics and two times higher levels than blacks, according to a study scheduled for publication in the April 1 issue of the American Chemical Society's journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

9 Mar 2006

Nebivolol may restore damaged cardiovascular functions in African Americans

Tadeusz Malinski, Marvin & Ann Dilley White Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, found that the drug, currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, acts on the level of oxidants lining the cardiovascular system and can restore levels of nitric oxide and reduce oxidative stress.

9 Mar 2006

Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to glandular fever

A seven-year tracking study has prompted scientists to suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome could be the result of brain injuries inflicted during the early stages of glandular fever.

9 Mar 2006

Blood News and Research

Filter more effective than diuretics for heart failure

Aspirin still the best for reducing the heart attack risk

B vitamins and folic acid don't cut the risk of further heart attacks

Study reveals mechanisms behind Thiazolidinediones used to treat type 2 diabetes

Mental stress induced ischemia more common than thought

Emergency departments score poorly in child-saving drills

Scientists exploit novel route to reverse enlarged hearts in obese mice

New tools in the fight against pneumococci

Smk-1 is the first known gene that regulates longevity without disrupting life-sustaining function

A more accurate method for measuring blood levels of endothelial progenitor cells

Sirolimus-releasing stents more effective than vascular brachytherapy for treating restenosis within a stent

Using a growth factor to stimulate production of circulating endothelial progenitor cells improves cell production and mobility in arterial disease

New test for detecting small amounts of proteins in the blood

Transplanting a pair of kidneys with limited function into one patient may offer one solution to short supply of donated kidneys

Anxiety restricts blood flow in some patients

Positive effects of tight blood glucose control can be seen more than a decade later in diabetics

Diabetics shown to have increased heart muscle mass

Whites have higher blood serum levels of perfluorochemicals than Hispanics and blacks

Nebivolol may restore damaged cardiovascular functions in African Americans

Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to glandular fever

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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