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.

Heavy alcohol intake can lead to increased risk of AF

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Its name comes from the fibrillating of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. The result is an irregular heartbeat, which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. Atrial fibrillation alone is not in itself generally life-threatening, but it may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.

14 Feb 2011

BioTime to merge Glycosan with OrthoCyte

BioTime, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to merge Utah-based Glycosan BioSystems, Inc. (Glycosan) with BioTime's wholly-owned subsidiary, OrthoCyte Corporation. The acquisition is expected to close by March 18, 2011.

14 Feb 2011

The Lancet publishes CHAMPION trial results against heart failure

The CHAMPION clinical trial was published online today in The Lancet. CHAMPION demonstrated a 30% reduction in the primary efficacy endpoint of heart failure hospitalization rates at 6 months, and a 39% reduction in heart failure hospitalization rates at 15 months for heart failure patients whose treatment was guided by pulmonary artery pressures obtained through a miniature, wireless sensor, compared to control patients receiving standard heart failure treatment.

14 Feb 2011

Sorin's 2010 consolidated revenues increase 4.9% to € 745.8 million

The Board of Directors of Sorin S.p.A. meeting today under the chairmanship of Rosario Bifulco reviewed the fourth quarter 2010 and the preliminary 2010 consolidated results.

11 Feb 2011

New tool helps doctors assess likelihood of death from stroke

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto have developed a new tool that will help doctors predict the probability of death in patients after an ischemic stroke.

11 Feb 2011

Breakthrough in cancer research can help reduce heart failure, increase survival rates

A breakthrough by scientists at Queen's University Belfast could help reduce heart failure in cancer patients around the world, and ultimately increase survival rates.

10 Feb 2011

Georgia Tech, Emory University startup receives $5.1M investment to develop novel cardiac surgery system

A Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup that has developed a system to simplify and standardize the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during cardiac surgery has received a $5.1 million investment.

10 Feb 2011

PBNC technology may help detect cardiac disease, reduce diagnostic costs

Heart disease is a silent killer, but new microchip technology from Rice University is expected to advance the art of diagnosis.

9 Feb 2011

Minor damage to heart muscle during coronary artery bypass grafting associated with increased risk of death

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that even small amounts of damage to heart muscle during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with an increased risk of death, even among patients who initially do well following surgery. The study is published in the February 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

9 Feb 2011

Reducing the cardiovascular disease gender gap

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is working with the National Cardiac Societies of its 53 member countries on a project to raise awareness of the disturbing gender gap in cardiovascular disease (CVD). In partnership with the European Heart Network (EHN) and the World Heart Federation (WHF), the ESC has developed the Women@Heart contest in which national societies submit ideas for public awareness campaigns aimed at informing both health professionals and women of the dangers of complacency about CVD.

8 Feb 2011

Avandia label revised as per FDA directive

Following the 2010 FDA directive, pharmaceutical manufacturer Glaxo-SmithKline announced this Monday that they have modified the label for diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia). The new label restricts its use to patients already taking it or to those who have failed other antiglycemic drugs.

8 Feb 2011

Mysteries of the hibernating heart

Hibernating, it turns out, is much more complicated than one might think.

8 Feb 2011

Cleveland Clinic, JumpStart Ventures invest $500,000 in SironRX Therapeutics

JumpStart Ventures, the non-profit that invests in and partners with innovative, early-stage companies in Northeast Ohio, and Cleveland Clinic, announced a combined investment commitment of $500,000 in SironRX Therapeutics, Inc. The Cleveland-based company is developing a topical therapy to enhance healing of and decrease scar formation in wounds.

8 Feb 2011

Gastric bypass surgery good for the heart in obese: Study

A new study has found that gastric bypass surgery, besides enabling severely obese people to lose weight, may also help their overly stressed hearts return to more normal function and appearance. The study appeared in the Feb. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

7 Feb 2011

VA announces first Ai2 awards under Industry Innovation Competition

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki officially announced today the first VA Innovation Initiative awards under the agency's Industry Innovation Competition, its third competition since it began in early 2010. These four projects will use innovative new technologies in VA facilities to improve the quality of patient care for Veterans. They represent the first of nearly two-dozen more awards to be made in the coming months.

5 Feb 2011

Phase II results of VELCADE in patients with aggressive lymphoma published in Journal of Clinical Oncology

Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company today announced that Phase II results of a clinical trial examining VELCADE (bortezomib) in patients with previously untreated aggressive lymphoma were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

5 Feb 2011

Amgen, Pfizer present Enbrel new trial results against psoriasis at 69th AAD meeting in New Orleans, LA

Amgen and Pfizer Inc. today announced results from a new trial that demonstrated Enbrel significantly improved scalp involvement in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, compared with placebo. The data will be presented today at the 69th Annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting in New Orleans, La.

5 Feb 2011

Lack of DOT1L enzyme could lead to some types of heart disease: Study

Everyone knows chocolate is critical to a happy Valentine's Day. Now scientists are one step closer to knowing what makes a heart happy the rest of the year.

5 Feb 2011

Research roundup: Comparing profit and nonprofit hospice care; Hospital mortality and spending; High-deductible insurance plans

Association Of Hospice Agency Profit Status With Patient Diagnosis, Location of Care, and Length of Stay - "The current Medicare Hospice Benefit reimburses hospices at a fixed per diem rate that does not consider the patient's diagnosis, location of care, or hospice LOS [length-of-stay]," and as such, "profit can be maximized by caring for patients with certain diagnoses that require fewer skilled services, patients residing in nursing homes, or patients with longer hospice stays."

4 Feb 2011

UofL receives $9.56 million NIH/NHLBI grant to study cardioprotective therapies

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has awarded $9.56 million over five years to a University of Louisville Health Sciences Center research scientist to form a multi-center network examining cardioprotective therapies at the preclinical level.

4 Feb 2011