Heart Failure News and Research

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Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction.

Animal studies reveal new route to treating heart disease

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have shown in laboratory experiments in mice that blocking the action of a signaling protein deep inside the heart’s muscle cells blunts the most serious ill effects of high blood pressure on the heart. These include heart muscle enlargement, scar tissue formation and loss of blood vessel growth.

2 May 2011

AACN to honor 22 nurses nationwide with 2011 Circle of Excellence Award

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses will bestow the 2011 Circle of Excellence Award on 22 nurses nationwide at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, Chicago, April 30-May 5.

30 Apr 2011

Frequently hospitalized patients may need a specialist focused on their care: Hospital care expert

Declining rates of hospitalization have discouraged primary care doctors from seeing their patients in the hospital and encouraged the growing use of "hospitalists," a new physician specialty focused on the care of hospitalized patients.

30 Apr 2011

Research roundup: Saving lives through health literacy

Health Literacy And Outcomes Among Patients With Heart Failure -- This study examines the correlation between health literacy, or the ability to understand basic health information, and the mortality rate among patients with heart failure, which is a condition that "requires self-management and frequent interactions with the health care system."

30 Apr 2011

HHS launches Hospital Value-Based Purchasing program

The Department of Health and Human Services today launched a new initiative which will reward hospitals for the quality of care they provide to people with Medicare and help reduce health care costs.

30 Apr 2011

New study identifies less invasive therapy for ACE inhibitor side-effects

A new Henry Ford Hospital study takes a closer look at one of the lesser known, but potential most serious side-effects of ACE inhibitor use - facial, tongue and airway swelling - and identifies a successful and less invasive course of treatment.

29 Apr 2011

Takeda, Affymax announce additional peginesatide Phase 3 study results in dialysis patients

Affymax, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, today announced results of additional analyses from two Phase 3 studies of the investigational agent, peginesatide in chronic renal failure patients on dialysis with anemia.

29 Apr 2011

Nursing environment linked to improved patient outcomes

Better working conditions and better staffing of nurses can significantly improve the care of patients with serious conditions, according to the latest nurse labor study by the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

28 Apr 2011

Deep Breeze launches telehealth Breeze@home system for COPD patients

Deep Breeze Ltd, the leader in Vibration Response Imaging technology, today announced that it is introducing its telehealth Breeze@homeT system, the first in-home quantitative approach to COPD lung monitoring.

28 Apr 2011

Study finds link between health literacy and outcomes among heart failure patients

An examination of health literacy among managed care patients with heart failure, a condition that requires self-management, found that nearly one in five have low health literacy, which was associated with a higher all-cause risk of death, according to a study in the April 27 issue of JAMA.

27 Apr 2011

Researchers investigate new device that can recognize early heart attack signs

When a heart attack begins, a stopwatch starts. With each passing minute heart tissue is deprived of blood, causing it to deteriorate or die. In order to minimize damage to the heart, blood flow must be restored promptly, or the effects can be serious, often even fatal.

27 Apr 2011

Tai chi for heart failure patients: It works!

A latest study from Harvard Medical School has found that Tai chi, often called “meditation in motion,” appears to improve the quality of life in people with heart failure. The ancient Chinese exercise of tai chi features physical movements that are slow and gentle and require concentration. The study is published in the April 25, 2011 issues of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

26 Apr 2011

Millennium submits two VELCADE sNDAs to FDA

Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company with its parent company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited today announced that it has submitted two supplemental new drug applications (sNDAs) for VELCADE® (bortezomib) for Injection to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The first application seeks to add a subcutaneous route of administration for VELCADE. The second application is for the use of VELCADE in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

26 Apr 2011

USPTO grants Cortex patent for CX1739 AMPAKINE molecule

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for a patent that protects its lead AMPAKINE® molecule, CX1739.

26 Apr 2011

Most Americans unaware of recommended alcohol limits and risks of sea salt

Most Americans believe drinking wine is good for your heart but are unaware of recommended alcohol limits, and most mistakenly believe sea salt is a low-sodium alternative to regular table salt, according to a new survey about these common products.

26 Apr 2011

BioControl Medical initiates INOVATE-HF study of CardioFit system

BioControl Medical, a medical technology company that develops and markets advanced implantable devices for the treatment of autonomic disorders, has announced first patient enrollment in the INOVATE-HF (INcrease Of VAgal TonE in Heart Failure) clinical study at Northwest Texas Heart Hospital, Amarillo, Texas, by study investigator Suresh Neelagaru, M.D.

26 Apr 2011

Tai chi exercise linked to improved quality of life in CHF patients

Tai chi exercise appears to be associated with improved quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in patients with chronic heart failure, according to a report in the April 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Apr 2011

ACC/AHA release consensus document to help clinicians reduce risk of hypertension in older adults

Hypertension is very common among older adults. 64 percent of older men and 78 percent of older women have high blood pressure, placing them at heightened risk for heart disease including heart failure, stroke, coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, as well as chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus.

26 Apr 2011

Study: HIV infection linked to increased risk of heart failure

Patients with HIV infection without a prior history of coronary heart disease may be at a higher risk of developing heart failure, according to a report in the April 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Apr 2011

Pfizer comments on abstract concerning ORAL Sync tofacitinib Phase 3 study in RA

Pfizer Inc. commented on an abstract concerning the ORAL Sync Phase 3 study of tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis which has been posted for the European League Against Rheumatism conference.

25 Apr 2011