Diastolic Dysfunction News and Research

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Diastolic dysfunction refers to an abnormality in the heart's (''i.e.'', left ventricle's) filling during diastole. Diastole is that phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart (i.e. ventricle) is not contracting but is actually relaxed and filling with blood that is being returned to it, either from the body (into right ventricle) or from the lungs (into left ventricle).

Cardiovascular risks for excessive endurance training highlighted

Ironman triathlons, ultramarathons, and even marathons are potentially associated with a risk for adverse cardiovascular effects.

19 Jun 2012

Majority of African-American patients with hypertension suffer from hidden heart disease

A Wayne State University School of Medicine study has found that an overwhelming majority of African-American patients with hypertension also suffered hidden heart disease caused by high blood pressure even though they displayed no symptoms.

11 Jun 2012

Regular and moderate exercise most beneficial for cardiovascular health

Micah True, legendary ultra-marathoner, died suddenly while on a routine 12-mile training run March 27, 2012. The mythic Caballo Blanco in the best-selling book, Born to Run, True would run as far as 100 miles in a day. On autopsy his heart was enlarged and scarred; he died of a lethal arrhythmia (irregularity of the heart rhythm). Although speculative, the pathologic changes in the heart of this 58 year-old veteran extreme endurance athlete may have been manifestations of "Phidippides cardiomyopathy," a condition caused by chronic excessive endurance exercise.

4 Jun 2012

Omega-3 supplements do not improve diastolic function in older adults

Over the past three decades, researchers have firmly established that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have healthy effects on the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to help both in preventing cardiovascular disease as well as in preventing future heart attacks, strokes, and other adverse events in people who have established cardiovascular disease.

25 Apr 2012

Epsilon Imaging introduces EchoInsight for cardiology community

Epsilon Imaging, Inc., an advanced visualization and analysis technologies provider for cardiology, today announced the debut of EchoInsight, a suite of applications for practical strain imaging and streamlined workflow in the clinical environment.

26 Mar 2012

EAE, ASE to issue echocardiography guidelines for early detection of cardio toxicity

"Considering that the early detection of cardio toxicity is a critical issue for patients undergoing chemotherapy, the ASE and the EAE have come together to write guidelines which will highlight the technical advantages of echocardiography in identifying cardio toxicity early," explained Prof Juan Carlos Plana, Co-Director of the Cardio-oncology Center, Cleveland Clinic, from the ASE. "

21 Oct 2011

Heart failure risk rises in people with diastolic dysfunction: Study

New research suggests that a common form of heart trouble called diastolic dysfunction appears to worsen over time and may lead to an increased risk of heart failure. In people with diastolic dysfunction, which often comes with advancing age, the heart's left ventricle fills with blood in an abnormal way and is accompanied by elevated filling pressures.

24 Aug 2011

Ivabradine effective in reducing risk of cardiac fibrosis, diastolic heart failure

The findings of a Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) study published in the scientific journal Cardiology suggest that ivabradine, a heart rate reduction medication, is also effective in reducing the risk of diastolic heart failure and cardiac fibrosis.

29 Jul 2011

Heart function may be affected in people with Type 2 diabetes as early as adolescence

Heart function may be affected in people with Type 2 diabetes as early as adolescence, according to a new study that will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

8 Jun 2011

Poorly educated people more likely to be admitted in hospital with chronic heart failure

Results from a large European study suggest that poorly educated people are more likely to be admitted to hospital with chronic heart failure than the better educated, even after differences in lifestyle have been taken into account. The study is published online today (Thursday 9 December) in the European Heart Journal.

9 Dec 2010

SPRYCEL receives FDA approval for treating adult patients with Ph+ CML in chronic phase

After receiving a priority review, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SPRYCEL (dasatinib) 100 mg once daily for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase.

29 Oct 2010

NCKU develops novel stem cell therapy for heart repair

Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh of Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has led a research team of myocardial regeneration to conduct an experiment on pigs and has proved that by combining self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel with autologous bone marrow stem cell, myocardial protection after acute myocardial infarction, vascular regeneration and heart functions can be improved.

12 Oct 2010

Researchers find link between arterial stiffness and diastolic function

Physicians have identified a risk factor for heart disease in adulthood that can be present in children as young as 10. They're also calling for screening for this risk factor to help motivate children to exercise and lose weight.

4 Oct 2010

New insight into most common form of congenital heart disease

Repairing small, seemingly benign holes in a child's heart may be more clinically important than previously thought, as dysfunction could be lurking out of sight. These are the findings from a study conducted by doctors and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University Medical Center examining a subset of the most common form of congenital heart disease, ventricular septal defect.

14 Sep 2010

Study: Lower blood oxygen levels can lead to heart abnormalities in children with sickle cell disease

Children with sickle cell disease who also have lower blood oxygen levels while both asleep and awake are likely to have heart abnormalities, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and other institutions have found.

28 Apr 2010

Researchers set on grand challenge to accomplish targeted drug delivery for heart disease

Virginia Tech researcher Pavlos Vlachos and his students in the College of Engineering have a tall order to tackle: Stem the grim progression of heart disease, which kills hundreds of thousands of people each year in the United States alone.

23 Jan 2010

Joseph Finn announces inclusion of PRX-08066 therapeutics program in Phase 2 for respiratory indication

Joseph F. Finn, Jr., C.P.A. , announced today that the PRX-08066 Therapeutics Program in Phase 2 for respiratory indication will be part of the intellectual property offered for sale at the September 30, 2009 auction.

19 Aug 2009

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 -- a potential link between heart failure and diabetes

Researchers at the University of Vermont Cardiovascular Research Institute, Colchester, Vermont have found that increased expression in the heart of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) is profibrotic.

24 Feb 2009

Nuclear stress test detects problems in left ventricle

A less invasive test commonly used to diagnose coronary disease also may be used to detect one of the leading causes of heart failure, say researchers at the Medical College of Georgia.

14 Jul 2008

Discovery of new way to prevent cardiac fibrosis

In a study that points to a new strategy for preventing or possibly reversing fibrosis - the scarring that can lead to organ and tissue damage - researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have determined that a molecule called Epac (Exchange protein activated by cAMP1), plays a key role in integrating the body’s pro- and anti-fibrotic response.

22 Apr 2008