Atherosclerosis News and Research

RSS

Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque - the fatty deposits and other cells - in the inner walls of the arteries. The condition is a consequence of elevated cholesterol and for many it's a silent disease, with no visible signs or symptoms. The disease can begin in early adulthood and continues to progress for the rest of a person's life. Despite the serious nature of atherosclerosis, many people do not understand how it develops and progresses.

Low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet increases the risk for atherosclerosis and impaired blood vessels

Even as low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets have proven successful at helping individuals rapidly lose weight, little is known about the diets' long-term effects on vascular health.

25 Aug 2009

Studies reveal that obese men are at increased risk for erectile dysfunction

Obese men are at increased risk for erectile dysfunction (ED), likely caused by atherosclerosis-related hypertension and cardiovascular disease, as well as hormonal changes associated with obesity, as described in a timely article published in Obesity and Weight Management, a journalzine published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

25 Aug 2009

Thick blood to cause or prevent strokes and heart attacks proved by scientists

"Thick" blood can cause heart attack and stroke, but also prevent them. Scientists at Heidelberg University Hospital have explained the mechanism of this clinical paradox for the first time on an animal model. Mice with a greater tendency to form blood clots have larger plaques in their vessels, but they are more stable.

24 Aug 2009

Phase 2 clinical study of Resolvin RX-10045 for dry eye syndrome provides positive data

Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leading resolvin therapeutics company, today announced positive data from a Phase 2 clinical study evaluating RX-10045, a resolvin administered as a topical eye drop for the treatment of patients with chronic dry eye syndrome.

24 Aug 2009

Micrus Endovascular Corporation and Flexible Stenting Solutions to jointly develop flow diversion technology for neurovascular indications

Micrus Endovascular Corporation and privately held Flexible Stenting Solutions Inc. of Eatontown, N.J., today announced the signing of an exclusive agreement to jointly develop a flow diversion technology for neurovascular indications using both Micrus and Flexible Stenting Solutions technology, development capabilities and intellectual property.

24 Aug 2009

Diabetics can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing vitamin D levels

Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis now think they know why.

24 Aug 2009

Chinese scientists present study on oxycholesterol's cholesterol-boosting effects at 238th ACS meeting

Health-conscious people know that high levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) can increase the risk of heart attacks. Now scientists are reporting that another form of cholesterol called oxycholesterol - virtually unknown to the public - may be the most serious cardiovascular health threat of all. Scientists from China presented one of the first studies on the cholesterol-boosting effects of oxycholesterol here today at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. The researchers hope their findings raise public awareness about oxycholesterol, including foods with the highest levels of the substance and other foods that can combat oxycholesterol's effects.

21 Aug 2009

Research attributes accumulation of belly fat to change in hormone balance during menopause transition

In middle-aged women, visceral fat, more commonly called belly fat, is known to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but what causes visceral fat to accumulate?

21 Aug 2009

Aldose reductase inhibition shows promise for asthma

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have found that a single enzyme is apparently critical to most allergen-provoked asthma attacks - and that activity of the enzyme, known as aldose reductase, can be significantly reduced by compounds that have already undergone clinical trials as treatments for complications of diabetes.

11 Aug 2009

'Nanobee' drug delivery to tumors

When bees sting, they pump poison into their victims. Now the toxin in bee venom has been harnessed to kill tumor cells by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The researchers attached the major component of bee venom to nano-sized spheres that they call nanobees.

11 Aug 2009

Amazonian tribe sheds light on causes of heart attacks and strokes in developed countries

Heart attacks and strokes — the leading causes of death in the United States and other developed countries — may have been rare for the vast majority of human history, suggests a study to be published in PLoS ONE on Tuesday, August 11.

10 Aug 2009

Social stress linked to visceral fat, atherosclerosis

A new study done by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that social stress could be an important precursor to heart disease by causing the body to deposit more fat in the abdominal cavity, speeding the harmful buildup of plaque in blood vessels, a stepping stone to the number one cause of death in the world.

5 Aug 2009

New chemical imaging technique could help in the fight against atherosclerosis

A new chemical imaging technique could one day help in the fight against atherosclerosis, suggests research published in the August 2009 edition of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

31 Jul 2009

Research shows segments of carotid artery respond differently to atherosclerotic plaque buildup

Different segments of the carotid artery that supply the brain with blood respond in different fashions to the build-up of complex, health-threatening plaque, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and their colleagues.

14 Jul 2009

Identification of cholesterol regulating genes by targeted RNAi-screening

Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University of Heidelberg, Germany, have come a step closer to understanding how cholesterol levels are regulated. In a study published today in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers identified 20 genes that are involved in this process. Besides giving scientists a better idea of where to look to uncover the mechanisms that ensure cholesterol balance is maintained, the discovery could lead to new treatments for cholesterol-related diseases.

7 Jul 2009

MicroRNAs hold promise for treating diseases in blood vessels

A newly discovered mechanism controls whether muscle cells in blood vessels hasten the development of both atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, according to an article published online today in the journal Nature.

5 Jul 2009

Gout gene discovered

Having partnered last year with an international team that surveyed the genomes of 12,000 individuals to find a genetic cause for gout, Johns Hopkins scientists now have shown that the malfunctioning gene they helped uncover can lead to high concentrations of blood urate that forms crystals in joint tissue, causing inflammation and pain - the hallmark of this disease.

18 Jun 2009

“Life force” linked to body’s ability to withstand stress

Our ability to withstand stress-related, inflammatory diseases may be associated, not just with our race and sex, but with our personality as well, according to a study published in the July issue of the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Especially in aging women, low levels of the personality trait extraversion may indicate that blood levels of a key inflammatory molecule have crossed over a threshold linked to a doubling of risk of death within five years.

17 Jun 2009

New understanding on how "trans fats" gum up cellular machinery

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in processed foods contain trans fatty acids that interfere with the regulation of blood flow. A new report reveals a new way in which these "trans fats" gum up the cellular machinery that keeps blood moving through arteries and veins.

17 Jun 2009

Income, education, important factors in heart disease risk

Doctors who ignore the socioeconomic status of patients when evaluating their risk for heart disease are missing a crucial element that might result in inadequate treatment, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study published in the June 2009 American Heart Journal.

16 Jun 2009

Atherosclerosis News and Research

Further Reading

Low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet increases the risk for atherosclerosis and impaired blood vessels

Studies reveal that obese men are at increased risk for erectile dysfunction

Thick blood to cause or prevent strokes and heart attacks proved by scientists

Phase 2 clinical study of Resolvin RX-10045 for dry eye syndrome provides positive data

Micrus Endovascular Corporation and Flexible Stenting Solutions to jointly develop flow diversion technology for neurovascular indications

Diabetics can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing vitamin D levels

Chinese scientists present study on oxycholesterol's cholesterol-boosting effects at 238th ACS meeting

Research attributes accumulation of belly fat to change in hormone balance during menopause transition

Aldose reductase inhibition shows promise for asthma

'Nanobee' drug delivery to tumors

Amazonian tribe sheds light on causes of heart attacks and strokes in developed countries

Social stress linked to visceral fat, atherosclerosis

New chemical imaging technique could help in the fight against atherosclerosis

Research shows segments of carotid artery respond differently to atherosclerotic plaque buildup

Identification of cholesterol regulating genes by targeted RNAi-screening

MicroRNAs hold promise for treating diseases in blood vessels

Gout gene discovered

“Life force” linked to body’s ability to withstand stress

New understanding on how "trans fats" gum up cellular machinery

Income, education, important factors in heart disease risk

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

Latest News