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Blood clots in the lungs could be prevented with computed tomography (CT) scans of the legs

Researchers found that indirect CT venography (CTV) could identify blood clots in the legs that have the potential to break free, travel to the lung and block an artery--a life-threatening condition known as pulmonary embolism.

25 Jan 2005

Drink-driving limit must be reduced to save lives

The British Medical Association in Wales is calling on the Government to reduce the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level for driving from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml. In 2003 - the latest year when figures are available - there were 582 drink-related road traffic casualties in Wales, 6 of whom died - 2 of whom were pedestrians and 4 were passengers.

24 Jan 2005

Dietary fat quality may be more important than fat quantity in reducing risk of cardiovascular deaths in middle-aged men

The type of dietary fats consumed by middle-aged men, especially polyunsaturated fats and linoleic acids, may be more important than total fat intake in reducing the risk of cardiovascular deaths, according to a study in the January 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

24 Jan 2005

Warfarin combined with NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors increased risk of upper gastrointentinal hemorrhage

Patients taking warfarin at the same time as selective COX-2 inhibitors or nonselective NSAIDs have an increased risk of hospitalization for upper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage, according to Canadian researchers analyzing health care databases.

24 Jan 2005

Study of patients on COX-2 inhibitors does not show increased cardiovascular risk

An observational study of 6,250 patients enrolled in the Maryland Medicaid program found that COX-2 inhibitors did not increase the risk for cardiovascular events over nonnaproxen NSAIDs in a high-risk population.

24 Jan 2005

More studies on risks and benefits of COX-2 inhibitors

A group of studies published in the January 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine add to the growing body of medical literature about the cardiovascular risks that may be associated with the class of pain-relieving drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors.

24 Jan 2005

New blood tests to soon replace painful bone marrow biopsies for leukemia and lymphoma patients

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated announced today that The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has granted the company exclusive use of five proprietary blood testing methods, which, once available in the form of laboratory diagnostic tests, may eliminate the need for painful and expensive bone marrow and other tissue extractions.

24 Jan 2005

Orally ingested drug to help Type 2 diabetes sufferers

A new drug invented by Monash University researchers Paul Zimmet and Frank Ng could help Type 2 diabetes sufferers lower blood glucose levels and enhance the potency of insulin, with few side effects.

24 Jan 2005

High blood pressure risk in African-Americans linked to genetics

National health records have shown that African-Americans are more prone to high blood pressure than Caucasians, but pinning down the roots of that difference has proven elusive. Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have narrowed down the search for genes that contribute to this difference in disease risk.

24 Jan 2005

Over-eating at an early age may stay well into adulthood

Melbourne researchers have found that over-eating at a very young age can have a long-lasting effect on the body and in particular seems to enhance the production of hormones made in fat and involved in metabolism.

24 Jan 2005

Annual mammograms best for women who have been treated for early stage breast cancer

Annual mammograms and doctor visits are the best follow-up strategy for women who have been treated for early stage breast cancer, according to a new review of recent research.

24 Jan 2005

Invasive procedures do not necessarily improve survival for heart patients

Invasive procedures, often given to patients as soon as they are admitted to hospital with a life-threatening heart condition, do not necessarily improve survival, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

20 Jan 2005

Mother’s diet and slimness might have long-term effects on the health of her baby

Researchers have discovered a link between the amount of blood flowing through the liver of the unborn baby in late pregnancy and the diet of expectant mums.

20 Jan 2005

Heart patients with gastrointestinal complications should use low doses of aspirin combined with drugs that treat stomach ulcers

Physicians are challenged in treating heart patients who may be at high-risk for gastrointestinal bleeding from aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Factors that place patients at high-risk include a history of ulcers or gastrointestinal complications such as bleeding, increased age and congestive heart failure.

20 Jan 2005

Cord blood transplantation now a viable option for adult leukemia patients

Stem cell transplantation using umbilical cord blood is a standard treatment option for blood disorders in children, but not for adults, due to the difficulty of obtaining a sufficiently large dose of cells.

20 Jan 2005

Insight into potential mechanisms underlying type II diabetes

New research published in the premier issue of Cell Metabolism finds that a single brain region is sufficient for normal control of blood sugar and activity level by the fat hormone leptin. The same region also exerts significant, though more modest, control over leptin's effects on body weight.

19 Jan 2005

More evidence that wine helps protect the heart

A recent article in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis determined that drinkers of wine benefit from its cardio-protective effects, more so than those who drink beer or other spirits, and may also live longer.

19 Jan 2005

Sildenafil restores cognitive function in rats after liver failure

A study involving rats reveals the mechanism responsible for learning impairment due to liver failure and shows that sildenafil restores cognitive function.

19 Jan 2005

Clopidogrel (Plavix®) responses appear normal in largest data set

Although individual patients respond differently to treatment with the anti-platelet medication clopidogrel (brand name Plavix®), those variations appear normal and may not indicate important differences in the effectiveness of treatment, according to a new study (PDF file) in the Jan. 18, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

19 Jan 2005

FDA knocks back anticancer drug Marqibo

Inex Pharmaceuticals announced today that United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided an action letter detailing that the anticancer drug Marqibo (vincristine sulfate liposomes injection) is "not approvable" under the FDA's accelerated approval regulations based on the phase 2 clinical trial data submitted.

19 Jan 2005

Blood News and Research

Blood clots in the lungs could be prevented with computed tomography (CT) scans of the legs

Drink-driving limit must be reduced to save lives

Dietary fat quality may be more important than fat quantity in reducing risk of cardiovascular deaths in middle-aged men

Warfarin combined with NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors increased risk of upper gastrointentinal hemorrhage

Study of patients on COX-2 inhibitors does not show increased cardiovascular risk

More studies on risks and benefits of COX-2 inhibitors

New blood tests to soon replace painful bone marrow biopsies for leukemia and lymphoma patients

Orally ingested drug to help Type 2 diabetes sufferers

High blood pressure risk in African-Americans linked to genetics

Over-eating at an early age may stay well into adulthood

Annual mammograms best for women who have been treated for early stage breast cancer

Invasive procedures do not necessarily improve survival for heart patients

Mother’s diet and slimness might have long-term effects on the health of her baby

Heart patients with gastrointestinal complications should use low doses of aspirin combined with drugs that treat stomach ulcers

Cord blood transplantation now a viable option for adult leukemia patients

Insight into potential mechanisms underlying type II diabetes

More evidence that wine helps protect the heart

Sildenafil restores cognitive function in rats after liver failure

Clopidogrel (Plavix®) responses appear normal in largest data set

FDA knocks back anticancer drug Marqibo

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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