Cardiology News and Research

Latest Cardiology News and Research

Hydrogen sulfide could be used to treat humans with heart failure

At low concentrations, the toxic gas hydrogen sulfide protects the hearts of mice from heart failure, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have found.

12 Nov 2008

Staying active may lower health risks for large, retired athletes

The larger body size of professional football players doesn't increase risk of cardiovascular disease or atherosclerosis after they retire, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

12 Nov 2008

Scientists map steps to block enzyme phosphodiesterase 5's action in heart failure

Taking a cue from the way drugs like Viagra put the biological brakes on a key enzyme involved in heart failure, scientists at Johns Hopkins have mapped out a key chemical step involved in blocking the enzyme.

12 Nov 2008

U.S. health trend in heart disease is not going down as expected

The positive U.S. health trend documented over the past 30 years of reduction in risk for heart disease is not as strong as is widely perceived - and, in fact, the trend has flattened, according to a new analysis of national data by Mayo Clinic.

11 Nov 2008

Neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds

Researchers used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the inner walls of the neck (carotid) arteries that supply blood to the brain. Increasing carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) indicates the fatty buildup of plaque within arteries feeding the heart muscle and the brain, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

11 Nov 2008

Nanomatrix stent coating designed to mimic natural endothelium

A nanomatrix for stent coating designed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) mimics natural endothelium, the substance that lines blood vessels, and promises the potential to prevent post-operative tissue scaring along the blood vessel wall, greatly reducing the possibility of future thrombosis, or blockage at the stent site.

11 Nov 2008

Racial disparities found in access and use of organ transplantation in children listed for heart transplant

Minority children awaiting a donor heart for transplant have a higher death rate than white children, even after controlling for clinical risk factors, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

Ultrasound used to improve prediction of heart attacks

By adding the results of an imaging technique to the traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease, doctors at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found they were able to improve prediction of heart attacks in people previously considered low risk.

11 Nov 2008

Joyful music has a healthy effect on blood vessel function

Listening to your favorite music may be good for your cardiovascular system.

11 Nov 2008

Elevated nonfasting triglyceride levels linked with higher risk of stroke

Elevated nonfasting triglyceride levels, previously associated with an increased risk for heart attack, also appear to be associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke, according to a study in the November 12 issue of JAMA.

11 Nov 2008

Catheter ablation works better than drugs for heart rhythm disorder

Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, a major international study has found.

11 Nov 2008

Genetics for personalized coronary heart disease treatment

Identifying a single, common variation in a person's genetic information improves prediction of his or her risk of a heart attack or other heart disease events and thus, choice of the best treatment accordingly, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

11 Nov 2008

Sex hormones may affect atherosclerosis

Naturally produced sex hormones may influence the risk and progression of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, Johns Hopkins researchers report in a recent study.

11 Nov 2008

Diuretic reduces risk for type of heart failure that affects women more often than

New research by The University of Texas School of Public Health shows that a medication for high blood pressure called a diuretic or water pill is particularly effective at reducing the risk for a type of heart failure that affects women more often than men.

11 Nov 2008

Damage inflicted by cholesterol crystals during cardiac attacks more widespread

Cholesterol crystals released in the bloodstream during a cardiac attack or stroke can damage artery linings much further away from the site of the attack, leaving survivors at greater risk than previously thought.

11 Nov 2008

Cell-coated stent as effective as drug-coated ones

A stent that entices artery-lining cells to coat it works as well or better than drug-eluting stents in keeping arteries open in coronary heart disease patients, according to two research studies presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

All stem cells are not created equal, explains expert

During the course of the Presidential campaign, Obama signaled his intention to reverse Bush's controversial limit on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

11 Nov 2008

Medicine, math and engineering combine to reveal how sepsis and less severe infections occur

It's a leading cause of death, but no one knows for sure how and why it happens. It's a major source of health care costs, adding days or weeks to the hospital stays and lost work time of millions of people. But no one fully understands how best to fight it.

11 Nov 2008

Raptor Pharmaceuticals announces positive results for Convivia program

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. has announced positive results in its Phase IIa study of oral 4-methylpyrazole ("4-MP") in subjects with ALDH2 deficiency, or ethanol intolerance, as the initial development stage of its Convivia program.

11 Nov 2008

Large trial on low-dose aspirin in diabetics

Type 2 diabetics treated with low-dose aspirin did not have a significantly lower incidence of atherosclerotic events than those who received placebo in this primary prevention trial of low-dose aspirin, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008. However, sub-group analyses showed a significant reduction with aspirin in both atherosclerotic events in those over 65 years of age, and a reduction in cerebrocardiovascular deaths.

11 Nov 2008