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How your heart sounds could tell your heart attack risk

According to scientists in the United States, a doctor may be able to determine a person's risk of having a heart attack just by listening to their heart with a stethoscope.

11 May 2008

FDA approves new formulation of genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa plasma protein

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new formulation of the genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa, a plasma protein essential for the clotting of blood. The new formulation allows the product to be stored at room temperature (up to 81 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to two years.

9 May 2008

Nitrates in vegetables protect against gastric ulcers

Vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically active nitric oxide in the stomach. The Swedish researcher Joel Petersson has described the process, which also means that antibacterial mouthwashes can be harmful for the stomach.

7 May 2008

Corticosteroids provide no survival benefit for children with bacterial meningitis

Corticosteroids given to children who are hospitalized for bacterial meningitis do not provide a benefit in survival or in reduced hospital stays, according to a large multicenter study by pediatric researchers. This finding stands in contrast to previous studies in hospitalized adults, for which corticosteroids dramatically reduced mortality.

6 May 2008

Ibuprofen found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's

A large study by scientists in the U.S. has revealed that the long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the risk of a person developing Alzheimer's disease.

6 May 2008

Intensive training for medical staff in Latin American hospitals reduces serious complication of pregnancy

An intensive educational program for physicians and midwives involving 19 hospitals in Argentina and Uruguay dramatically reduced the rate of postpartum hemorrhage, according to researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

1 May 2008

Aspirin a day cuts risk of common breast cancer

Scientists in the U.S. say an aspirin a day may afford women some protection against the most common type of breast cancer, estrogen receptor or ER-positive breast cancer.

30 Apr 2008

Improving survival rates among users of left ventricular assist devices

Despite the general success of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) used in critically ill heart failure patients, implantation of these devices often leads to increased bleeding and a need for high-volume blood transfusions during and immediately after surgery.

30 Apr 2008

New research suggests hypertonic, hyperviscous fluids may be better treatment for severe blood loss

Intravenous administration of isotonic fluids is the standard emergency treatment in the U.S. for patients with severe blood loss, but UC San Diego bioengineering researchers have reported improved resuscitation with a radically different approach. Building on earlier studies in humans that have shown benefits of intravenous fluids that are eight times saltier than normal saline, the researchers combined hypertonic saline with viscosity enhancers that thicken blood.

29 Apr 2008

New York Times examines debate over dental therapists

Under the program, after dental therapists receive two years of "intensive training" at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, they can perform routine tooth extractions and fill cavities.

28 Apr 2008

Hepatitis C therapy peginterferon alfa-2b shows promise

The hepatitis C therapy peginterferon alfa-2b, when given as low-dose maintenance therapy, can prevent disease progression in certain patients who failed previous interferon-based hepatitis C therapies and have advanced liver disease, according to findings from a large, four-year study presented today at the 43rd annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

24 Apr 2008

FDA approves Cimzia as treatment for Crohn's disease

A new drug has been approved to help sufferers of Crohn's disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) received approval for adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who have not responded to conventional therapies. This product was approved with a Medication Guide.

22 Apr 2008

Social networking, malaria and philanthropy partnership

Philanthropy just got easier and a lot more accessible to the public thanks to the social networking power of the Internet and a ground-breaking partnership between a young British entrepreneur, a global health think tank and an African medical research institute.

20 Apr 2008

Heparin versus placebo for acute coronary syndromes

Compared with those on placebos, giving heparin to people who have heart conditions like unstable angina and some forms of heart attack reduces the risk of having another heart attack, concluded a Cochrane Systematic Review.

17 Apr 2008

New molecule could be key to anti-heart attack drug

When too many blood platelets stick together in the bloodstream, they form dangerous clots that can clog blood vessels and cause a heart attack. If a clot doesn't get dissolved or rapidly removed, it can cause permanent damage or even death.

17 Apr 2008

Decrease in mortality after severe injuries in accidents

Fewer and fewer people are dying after being severely injured in an accident.

15 Apr 2008

Popular painkiller Nurofen Plus in danger of becoming a prescription only drug

Australia's National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee (NDPSC) is apparently considering making one of the most commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) drugs available only with a prescription.

15 Apr 2008

Special filter quickly and effectively removes deadly vCJD protein from blood

Amid concern that recipients of certain blood transfusions may risk infection with a deadly protein responsible for the human form of mad cow disease, researchers in Canada now report development of a special filter that quickly and effectively removes the protein from blood.

9 Apr 2008

Continuous oral contraceptives better at easing pain, bleeding

Continuous oral contraceptives may be more effective than the standard 28-day birth control pills in suppressing the ovary, according to researchers.

4 Apr 2008

ExoSeal vascular plug gets good reviews in ECLIPSE study

A new bioabsorbable plug that seals the arterial puncture site used for threading catheters into the body during diagnostic angiography and interventional procedures significantly shortens bleeding time and enables patients to get up and walk around far sooner than when manual compression is applied to the groin.

2 Apr 2008