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A guide to catch and treat hypertension early in children

High blood pressure in children and adolescents is a growing health problem that is often overlooked by physicians, according to a University of Michigan Health System article published in American Family Physician that offers doctors a guide to catching and treating hypertension early.

18 Apr 2012

Surgery to remove only the tumor preferable to removing entire kidney

Kidney cancer patients who had only their tumor removed had better survival than patients who had their entire kidney removed, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

18 Apr 2012

Fibrates to treat high cholesterol may affect kidney health

Older patients taking a common cholesterol medication should be cautious of the impact on their kidney health. In a new study by Dr. Amit Garg, Scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and colleagues, one in 10 new older fibrate users experienced a 50 per cent increase in their serum creatinine.

18 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: The missing debate on women; The true cost of care; Fair wages for home health aides

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported that the nation's teen pregnancy rate is at an all-time low. Increased contraceptive use appears to have played a significant role in the decline. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without Title X services, hundreds of thousands more teenagers would become pregnant every year. Why does GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney think eliminating the federal money for family planning -; $327 million annually -; is wise?

17 Apr 2012

Study: Kidney cancer growth depends on autophagy

New research at the University of Cincinnati (UC) suggests that kidney cancer growth depends on autophagy, a complex process that can provide cells with nutrients from intracellular sources. Researchers say in certain circumstances autophagy can protect tumor cells from chemotherapy, allowing them to survive for long periods of time in a hidden, dormant, metastatic state.

17 Apr 2012

Osprey Medical closes IPO raising of A$20 million

Osprey Medical Inc, has today announced that its Initial Public Offer (IPO) raising of A$20 million has closed. Osprey Medical’s Offer was well supported by institutional and retail investors in Australia, including founding investors CM Capital and Brandon Capital. The Initial Public Offer was underwritten by Shaw Corporate Finance.

17 Apr 2012

SMART Heart improves cardiovascular surgical outcomes

Two years ago, 57-year-old Allus Brown underwent a simultaneous heart-kidney transplant and spent months in and out of the hospital after battling dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that enlarges and weakens the heart. Now fully recovered, Brown is still in and out of Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute each week. Only nowadays when he visits, he's laughing it up, playing board games, and sharing accounts of his own struggles with heart disease as part of the Bluhm Institute's new and innovative program, SMART Heart, stress management and recreational therapy for heart patients.

16 Apr 2012

Study reveals difficulties in self-management of diabetes

A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London reveals the many difficulties faced by people with diabetes in self-managing their disease.

11 Apr 2012

Amgen enters agreement to acquire KAI Pharmaceuticals

Amgen and KAI Pharmaceuticals today announced an agreement under which Amgen will acquire KAI, a privately held pharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco.

11 Apr 2012

DaVita introduces Kidney Smart website for patients with CKD

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced the launch of its Kidney Smart website, for anyone with questions about CKD.

10 Apr 2012

FDA selects three renal device projects for new Pathway program

A UCSF-led effort to create an implantable artificial kidney for dialysis patients has been selected as one of the first projects to undergo more timely and collaborative review at the Food and Drug Administration.

10 Apr 2012

Top ten facts about organ and tissue donation

Every year, more than 100,000 Americans will need a life-saving organ transplant, yet in 2011 fewer than 22,000 transplants took place in the United States. In New York only 18 percent of New Yorkers who are eligible to donate are registered as organ donors, in stark contrast to the national average of 42 percent.

10 Apr 2012

Three ESRD products chosen for FDA's Innovation Pathway program

Three products for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have been chosen to participate in the FDA's Innovation Pathway, an evolving system designed to help medical devices reach patients in a safe, timely and collaborative manner.

10 Apr 2012

Aristolochic acid exposure leads to kidney failure and UUC

Aristolochic acid (AA), a component of a plant used in herbal remedies since ancient times, leads to kidney failure and upper urinary tract cancer (UUC) in individuals exposed to the toxin.

10 Apr 2012

Researchers discover two molecules that control liver glucose production

In their extraordinary quest to decode human metabolism, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered a pair of molecules that regulates the liver's production of glucose---- the simple sugar that is the source of energy in human cells and the central player in diabetes.

9 Apr 2012

Left ventriculography being routinely performed during coronary angiogram

An invasive heart test used routinely to measure heart function is being dramatically overused, especially among patients who recently underwent similar, more effective tests, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

7 Apr 2012

First Edition: April 6, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the Obama administration's response to a federal court about the Supreme Court's power.

6 Apr 2012

Poor mental health can lead to heart problems and death in dialysis patients

Dialysis patients whose mental health deteriorates over time have an increased risk of developing heart problems and dying prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

6 Apr 2012

Majority of female kidney failure patients on dialysis may experience sexual problems

The vast majority of female kidney failure patients on dialysis may experience sexual problems, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). Additional studies are needed to understand how sexual dysfunction affects dialysis patients' quality of life and psychological wellbeing.

6 Apr 2012

Akebia completes AKB-6548 Phase 2 study for anemia in CKD patients

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc., a pharmaceutical discovery and development company focused on anemia and vascular disorders, today announced that it has successfully completed a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 2 dose-ranging study of AKB-6548 in patients with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

6 Apr 2012