Cardiology News and Research

Latest Cardiology News and Research

Scripps Research study findings could transform drug development to produce more effective treatments

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered new evidence that challenges the current theory about a process key to the way modern drugs are designed and how they work in the human body.

12 Oct 2010

Challenges in provision of high-quality health care at end of life

Health care in the last six months of life has become progressively more expensive for patients with heart failure both among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States and older adults in Canada, with a high rate of hospitalizations in the final six months of life in both countries, according to two reports posted online today that will be published in the February 14 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Study finds no link between AMD treatments and increase in cardiovascular complication

Newer treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)-including an intravitreous (into the eye) injection of a chemotherapy drug and use of a related compound approved for use against the eye disease-do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications or death when compared with existing therapies, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Magnetecs announces commencement of human studies using CGCI system in patients with arrhythmia

Magnetecs Corporation, a designer and manufacturer of robotic systems for minimally invasive surgical procedures, today reported that human studies have commenced using the Company's Catheter Guidance Control and Imaging (CGCI) system for patients with arrhythmia, or irregular heart beat.

12 Oct 2010

Folic acid supplement does not reduce cardiovascular events, cancer or death

Use of folic acid supplements appears to lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine—theorized to be a risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease—but does not appear to be associated with reduced rates of cardiovascular events, cancer or death over a five-year period, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Essentialis receives patent for active component in DCCR product

Essentialis, Inc. announced today that the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent No. 7,799,777 entitled Salts of potassium ATP channel openers and uses thereof. The patent claims a novel composition of a polymorph of diazoxide choline, the active ingredient in the Essentialis lead product, DCCR. Essentialis has successfully completed phase 2b clinical trials with DCCR, showing a highly significant triglyceride reduction in dyslipidemic patients.

12 Oct 2010

Carotid artery stenting increases risk of death, stroke

For patients with blockages in the carotid artery that supplies blood to the brain, carotid artery stenting (a non-surgical treatment) appears to be associated with an increased risk of both short- and long-term adverse outcomes when compared with surgical treatment (carotid endarterectomy), according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies that was posted online today and will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Study finds rapid increase in diabetes hospitalizations among young women

A study published in Journal of Women's Health shows a rapid increase in the number of hospitalizations due to diabetes for young adults - particularly young women.

12 Oct 2010

Family-centered care approach may improve children's care

As physicians and scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital work to find new insights into pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases, a central tenant of any treatment plan is to keep families at the center of children's care.

12 Oct 2010

Proper treatment for scoliosis may help children to lead active lives

Scoliosis may sound like a frightening diagnosis, but proper treatment enables children with the condition to lead normal, active lives. Scoliosis refers to an abnormal curvature of the spine. Small curves are a normal part of spine anatomy and are not cause for concern, according to Dr. Daniel Green, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. But when the curvature exceeds a certain range, children require medical attention.

12 Oct 2010

Physician shortage expected to balloon to 91,500 in 2020

News outlets report on workforce issues, including the doctor shortage, Medicaid pay cuts and the effects of long work hours on medical residents.

12 Oct 2010

Insulin resistance increases risk of stroke in non-diabetic patients

Insulin resistance, a condition in which insulin produced by the body becomes less effective in reducing blood glucose levels, appears to be associated with an increased risk of stroke in individuals without diabetes, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Early cancer drug trials flawed by inconsistencies in prohibited drug lists, study finds

Researchers in Canada and France have raised concerns about substantial inconsistencies in a basic aspect of the way Phase-I and Phase-II cancer clinical trials are designed.

11 Oct 2010

Incentivized structured weight loss program with free prepared meals effectively promotes weight loss

In another article being released early online, Cheryl L. Rock, Ph.D., R.D., from Moores UCSD Cancer Center, La Jolla, Calif., and colleagues, conducted a randomized controlled trial of weight loss and weight maintenance in 442 overweight or obese women (BMI, 25 - 40), ages 18 to 69, over a two year period with follow-up between November 2007 and April 2010.

11 Oct 2010

Chongqing Cancer Hospital commences treatment with Varian's RapidArc radiotherapy

Chongqing Cancer Hospital in Southwest China has become the first treatment center in Southwest China to offer cancer patients a faster, more precise form of image-guided radiotherapy that potentially enables doctors to improve outcomes while extending more advanced care to more patients. Clinicians at the hospital have used RapidArc® radiotherapy from Varian Medical Systems to treat patients for cancers of the nasopharynx, cervix, breast, and lung.

11 Oct 2010

Abbott presents data from 4 briakinumab pivotal studies in psoriasis

In four separate pivotal clinical studies presented on Friday, a greater percentage of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis patients treated with briakinumab, Abbott's investigational IL-12/23 inhibitor (ABT-874), achieved 75 percent or better skin clearance rates than those treated with etanercept (Enbrel®), methotrexate or placebo. Abbott presented data from all briakinumab pivotal studies in psoriasis at the European Association of Dermatology and Venereology scientific sessions.

11 Oct 2010

Obesity treatments falter, but researchers announce gene links

The Wall Street Journal: "An international research consortium says it has identified 18 new gene sites linked to obesity and 13 others associated with how fat is distributed in the body, advances that shed new light on the complex biology underlying one of the world's most pressing public-health problems. The findings are based on studies involving nearly 250,000 people, making the effort the largest so far to unravel the genetic basis of common human traits, researchers said.

11 Oct 2010

Tips to keep bones strong

October 20 is World Osteoporosis Day. Most people know that osteoporosis is a condition that affects many older women. Though osteoporosis isn't as common in men -- because most men have naturally larger and stronger bones -- they can get it, too.

11 Oct 2010

Fat-free popcorn may help dieters maintain reduced calorie eating plans

ConAgra Foods, Inc., one of North America's leading food makers, announced today new research indicating that a daily snack of Orville Redenbacher's 94 percent fat-free SmartPop!® popcorn can help dieters maintain reduced calorie eating plans while still feeling full and satisfied. In the study, 94 percent of participants said the daily 100-calorie snack of 100 percent whole grain popcorn helped satisfy hunger and 85 percent credited SmartPop! with helping them stay on track with weight loss.

11 Oct 2010

NCQA recertifies Lilly's online Health Education Answers program

Lilly's Health Education Answers program, an interactive online health and wellness tool, has received Health Information Product Recertification from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

11 Oct 2010