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Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered

Scientists at deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from the Netherlands and twelve other countries across Europe and North America today report the discovery of a common single-letter variation (SNP) in the sequence of the human genome conferring risk of a range of vascular diseases. The SNP confers risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), early-onset heart attack, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and pulmonary embolism, independent of other known risk factors.

12 Jul 2010

Research offers hope to thousands of UK transplant patients

New research could have an "incredible" impact on the numbers of people being saved through the organ donor system, experts claim today. As demand for organ transplants continues to outstrip supply, a team of scientists from the University of Sunderland are hopeful they may have found a way to expand the donor pool.

12 Jul 2010

Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants associated with reduced HRV: Study

In patients with pre-existing heart or lung disease, being exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants is associated with reduced heart rate variability —a risk factor for sudden cardiac death, reports a study in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

12 Jul 2010

Glaxo’s diabetes pill Avandia under FDA scrutiny again

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scrutiny again. This is for its diabetes pill Avandia which is under review for the second time in three years.

11 Jul 2010

Hormonal contraceptives are less effective for birth control in overweight or obese women: Study

As obesity continues to be a worldwide health risk, one of its "side effects" could include less effective birth control for overweight and obese women who use hormonal contraceptives.

9 Jul 2010

Que She herbal weight loss supplement contains harmful ingredients, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned that Que She, marketed as an herbal weight loss supplement, contains active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the product label that could harm consumers, especially those with cardiovascular conditions.

9 Jul 2010

HHS awards $10M to support public health efforts for reducing tobacco use and obesity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced awards of $10 million to 10 national non-profit organizations to support public health efforts to reduce tobacco use and reduce obesity through increased physical activity and improved nutrition.

8 Jul 2010

New information about quality of care available in America's hospitals added to new HHS website

Important new information about the quality of care available in America's outpatient and emergency departments, including how well hospitals care for patients with heart attacks and protect outpatients from surgical infections was added to the new HHS website HealthCare.gov.

8 Jul 2010

Heart attack death rates drop in hospitals; CDC reports increase in colon cancer screening rate

USA Today: Hospital heart attack death rates fell, according to new Medicare data. "Death rates at 4,569 hospitals that treat Medicare patients who suffer heart attacks fell by almost half a percentage point, from a national average of 16.6% last year to 16.2%. Death rates for most hospitals ranged from about 14.5% to 17.9%. ...

8 Jul 2010

HQA applauds public availability of hospital quality information at Hospital Compare website

The Hospital Quality Alliance today applauded the public availability of new information on hospital quality of care at the Hospital Compare website. The HQA is a broad working group of hospitals, consumer representatives, physician and nursing organizations, employers and payers, oversight organizations and government agencies dedicated to improving health care quality and making useful and understandable information about hospital quality available to the public.

8 Jul 2010

Use of NSAIDs do not increase risk of heart attack in elderly patients: Study

Commonly used painkillers like ibuprofen do not increase the risk of heart attack in the elderly population, according to a new study. Researchers found that the use of these drugs - also called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - was also associated with a lower risk of death although they are not sure why.

7 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 7, 2010

Today's biggest health policy news surrounds an announcement by the White House that President Obama will install a new Medicare and Medicaid chief with a recess appointment the bypasses the confirmation process.

7 Jul 2010

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute awarded grant to develop new system to predict sudden cardiac arrest

The Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute has been awarded a $1.66 million, four-year grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to develop a measurement system that could help doctors predict which patients could be struck by sudden cardiac arrest, a heart rhythm disturbance that causes instant death in more than 95 percent of cases.

7 Jul 2010

Cambridge Heart commences enrollment in study to identify ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today announced the first patient enrollments in the MTWA-CAD study (Evaluation of Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Testing for the Detection of Active Ischemia in Patients with Known or Suspected Coronary Artery Disease).

7 Jul 2010

Cornerstone reacquires all development, commercial rights to HMGB1 related technology from MedImmune

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing significant products primarily for the respiratory and related markets, today announced that the Company has reacquired all development and commercial rights to its high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) related technology from MedImmune, LLC.

6 Jul 2010

Anxiety disorders associated with higher risk of cardiovascular events, deaths in heart disease patients

Among patients with heart disease, anxiety disorders appear to be associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Jul 2010

Depression and dementia may go hand in hand: Study

A new study has found that depressive disorders raise the risk of dementia. The findings of this study were published in the journal Neurology. The study involved nearly 1,000 people who were studied for up to 17 years. Those who were depressed when first examined almost doubled their risk for dementia and also increased their risk for Alzheimer's disease the study authors wrote.

5 Jul 2010

The heart and the psyche – Link between heart disease and anxiety-depressive disorders

According to a new report published in the acclaimed journal Archives of General Psychiatry, concomitant anxiety and other psychiatric illnesses in heart patients raise their risk of getting heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and early death.

5 Jul 2010

Pennsylvania Department of Health announces new study on blood disorder Polycythemia vera

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today announced a new, federally-funded study on the blood disorder Polycythemia vera, or PV, in Bedford, Blair, Cambria and Somerset counties.

3 Jul 2010

Research Roundup: 'Pay-for-performance' unintended effects; Lessons from Mass.; End of life treatment

Archives of Internal Medicine: The Quality Of Care Provided To Hospitalized Patients At The End of Life - In this study, researchers used a set of quality indicators to assess the end-of-life care and pain management received by 496 patients who died three or more days after admission at the University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center. The authors found "pain assessments (94%) and treatments for pain (95%) and dyspnea [breathing problems] (87%) were performed with fidelity."

3 Jul 2010

Heart Attack News and Research

Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered

Research offers hope to thousands of UK transplant patients

Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants associated with reduced HRV: Study

Glaxo’s diabetes pill Avandia under FDA scrutiny again

Hormonal contraceptives are less effective for birth control in overweight or obese women: Study

Que She herbal weight loss supplement contains harmful ingredients, FDA warns

HHS awards $10M to support public health efforts for reducing tobacco use and obesity

New information about quality of care available in America's hospitals added to new HHS website

Heart attack death rates drop in hospitals; CDC reports increase in colon cancer screening rate

HQA applauds public availability of hospital quality information at Hospital Compare website

Use of NSAIDs do not increase risk of heart attack in elderly patients: Study

First Edition: July 7, 2010

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute awarded grant to develop new system to predict sudden cardiac arrest

Cambridge Heart commences enrollment in study to identify ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease

Cornerstone reacquires all development, commercial rights to HMGB1 related technology from MedImmune

Anxiety disorders associated with higher risk of cardiovascular events, deaths in heart disease patients

Depression and dementia may go hand in hand: Study

The heart and the psyche – Link between heart disease and anxiety-depressive disorders

Pennsylvania Department of Health announces new study on blood disorder Polycythemia vera

Research Roundup: 'Pay-for-performance' unintended effects; Lessons from Mass.; End of life treatment

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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