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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

Stents that release the drug paclitaxel to treat stenosis more effective than radiation therapy

Insertion of stents that release the drug paclitaxel to treat stenosis within an implanted bare-metal stent in a coronary artery reduces the risk of subsequent re-narrowing within the stent, when compared with treatment using intra-coronary radiation

13 Mar 2006

Drug-eluting stents best treatment for managing coronary restenosis

In the first published trial of its kind, a multi-center clinical study has shown that drug-eluting stents outperform the current "gold standard" radiation treatment in managing coronary restenosis and in preventing further clogging of coronary arteries.

13 Mar 2006

Depressed older adults more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment

Older adults with depressive symptoms are more likely than those without depression to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) within six years, according to a study conducted by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

9 Mar 2006

Exposure to fine particle air pollution significantly increases the risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease

New data from a four-year study of 11.5 million Medicare enrollees show that short-term exposure to fine particle air pollution from such sources as motor vehicle exhaust and power plant emissions significantly increases the risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease among people over 65 years of age.

9 Mar 2006

Short-term exposure to fine particulate matter increases hospital admissions for heart problems

Short-term exposure to fine particulate matter - the microscopic particles that pollute the air - increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory disease among Medicare participants, according to a study of 204 U.S. urban counties conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Yale University’s environment school.

8 Mar 2006

Study may lead to ways to reduce heart attacks in diabetes patients

For people with type 2 diabetes, the death rate from a first heart attack is two to three times the death rate of patients without the disease. Similarly, patients with diabetes and ischemic (reduced blood flow) heart disease have a much higher mortality rate than the general population.

7 Mar 2006

Gene therapy approach used in creating new arteries for older patients does not appear to cause cancer

"This result is an encouraging step along the road to new tissues for patients to replace those that have failed or have been destroyed due to trauma or disease," she said.

7 Mar 2006

A less active brain serotonin system is associated with early hardening of the arteries

These findings, which are the first to establish a link between serotonin messages in the brain and atherosclerosis, could lead to an entirely new strategy for preventing heart disease and stroke, say the researchers.

7 Mar 2006

Individualized treatment options for rosacea

Many individuals who are struggling with redness, pimples and visible blood vessels on their face may incorrectly diagnose their condition as acne, sunburn or sensitive skin.

6 Mar 2006

Hydrogel scaffold materials used to create stable networks of blood vessels

Yale biomedical engineers have created an implantable system that can form and stabilize a functional network of fine blood vessels critical for supporting tissues in the body, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1 Mar 2006

Compound found in marijuana may defend against diabetic retinopathy

A compound found in marijuana won't make you high but it may help keep your eyes healthy if you're a diabetic, researchers say.

1 Mar 2006

Telemetry captures stroke patients' cardiac problems

To detect "silent" or new cardiac abnormalities, all patients hospitalized for stroke should receive continuous cardiac rhythm monitoring (telemetry) for at least the first 24 hours after the stroke is detected, according to a Loyola University Health System study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2006.

24 Feb 2006

Statin drugs may improve the endothelial dysfunction

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine say preliminary results of a small study show promise in improving erectile dysfunction (ED) in men who had shown minimal reaction to Viagra.

24 Feb 2006

Coronary stents that release the drugs sirolimus or paclitaxel produce similar results

Use of coronary stents that release the drugs sirolimus or paclitaxel produced similar results in patients with new coronary artery lesions, according to a study in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

24 Feb 2006

Avastin trial for pancreatic tumors

"Our findings from the previous study suggest that the combination of chemotherapy and radiation is a safe and effective treatment method to reduce the local extent of pancreatic tumors," said Dr. Talamonti.

23 Feb 2006

Education and rates of cognitive decline in incident Alzheimer's disease

High levels of education may help ward off Alzheimer's disease, but they also speed up its progression once developed, reveals research in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

21 Feb 2006

Drug abuse linked to brain hemmorhage in young adults

A fifth of young adults whose blood vessels ruptured inside their brain abused drugs and more than 40 percent had malformed blood vessels, according to a study reported Feb. 17 at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2006 in Kissimmee, FL.

20 Feb 2006

Botox finds a use in cancer treatment

The cosmetic treatment Botox may have a new use as an adjuvant to cancer therapy, providing an open door for chemotherapy and radiation treatments, according to a study published in the Feb. 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

17 Feb 2006

Link between glucose levels and death in patients with cardiovascular disease

Men with cardiovascular disease may be at considerably increased risk for death even when their blood sugar level remains in the "normal" range, suggests a new study by a team of scientists at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

16 Feb 2006