Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Latest Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

New insight into coronary artery disease

Insight into the complex biological mechanisms that cause heart disease has taken a major step forward with the discovery of 13 new genes that increase the risk of coronary artery disease.

7 Mar 2011

Study uncovers 13 new genes that increase risk of heart attacks

The largest-ever study of its type into coronary heart disease, involving scientists from the University of Leicester, has uncovered 13 new genes that increase risk of heart attacks.

7 Mar 2011

Scientists discover SNPs linked with high risk of sick sinus syndrome

Scientists at deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from Iceland, The Netherlands, Denmark, USA and Illumina, Inc., today report the discovery of single-letter variants in the sequence of the human genome associated with high risk of sick sinus syndrome.

6 Mar 2011

Researchers identify 13 new gene sites linked with risk of coronary artery disease

An international research collaboration has identified 13 new gene sites associated with the risk of coronary artery disease and validated 10 sites found in previous studies. Several of the novel sites discovered in the study, which is being published online in Nature Genetics, do not appear to relate to known risk factors, suggesting previously unsuspected mechanisms for cardiovascular disease.

6 Mar 2011

Scientist discovers new mechanism for regulation of gene expression

Dr. David Levin, Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and Professor of Microbiology at Boston University School of Medicine discovered recently a novel, evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the regulation of gene expression.

4 Mar 2011

NSBRI selects Brigham researcher for postdoctoral fellowship

Christopher J. Morris, PhD, of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is one of four scientists selected by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute for a postdoctoral fellowship.

4 Mar 2011

ATS releases new report recommending research priorities in OSA treatment

The American Thoracic Society has released a new official report recommending research priorities in incorporating ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea into healthcare systems.

4 Mar 2011

How cancer impacts patients and their partners

Katarina Sjövall has studied partners of individuals with colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer. The study shows that the number of diagnosed diseases among partners increased by 25 per cent after the cancer diagnosis.

4 Mar 2011

Low physical activity increases kidney transplant patients' likelihood of dying early

Low physical activity increases kidney transplant patients' likelihood of dying early, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology. The results suggest that patients need to exercise to fend off an early death.

4 Mar 2011

BMC partners with YMCA of Greater Boston to form END Diabetes Program

In an effort to reduce the risks of diabetes and obesity while improving cardiovascular health, Boston Medical Center today announced it has partnered with the YMCA of Greater Boston to form the Exercise and Nutrition to Decrease Diabetes Program.

3 Mar 2011

Medtronic to make nearly $4 million in 2011 to address non-communicable diseases

In its continued commitment to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases, Medtronic, Inc. today announced it will make nearly $4 million in Medtronic Foundation grants in 2011 to international organizations specifically to address diseases such as diabetes and heart disease in developing countries.

3 Mar 2011

Omeros identifies orphan GPCR compounds associated to pancreatic cancer, cognitive disorders

Omeros Corporation today announced that it has identified compounds that interact selectively with two orphan G protein-coupled receptors linked to pancreatic cancer and cognitive disorders.

3 Mar 2011

Study: Men who consume non-steroidals more likely to have erectile dysfunction

Men who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs three times a day for more than three months are 2.4 times more likely to have erectile dysfunction compared to men who do not take those drugs regularly, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in The Journal of Urology.

3 Mar 2011

Promising new way to lower cholesterol production

A promising new way to inhibit cholesterol production in the body has been discovered, one that may yield treatments as effective as existing medications but with fewer side-effects.

3 Mar 2011

Night shift work may reduce risk of skin cancer in women

Melatonin is known to have cancer-protective properties, and shift work can induce desynchrony of the circadian system, reducing melatonin production. Shift work has been thought to have important health impacts, with evidence linking shift work to an increased risk of several cancers including breast, endometrial, prostate, and colorectal, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

2 Mar 2011

SCAI statement highlights multiple recommendations for evaluating PCI quality at cardiac facilities

Today the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions announced the publication of recommendations for assessing and improving program quality at percutaneous coronary intervention programs at cardiac facilities.

2 Mar 2011

Robotic surgery offers better results than laparoscopic procedures for kidney disease

Robotic surgery offers the same or better results than minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures for treating kidney disease, and can potentially help more patients because it is not as difficult for surgeons to learn, according to a new study led by Henry Ford Hospital specialists.

2 Mar 2011

Robotic surgery offers favourable outcomes in patients with kidney disease

2 Mar 2011

High blood pressure medications useful even in those without hypertension: Study

Researchers have studied existing evidence to suggest that people who have had a stroke or a heart attack might benefit from taking blood pressure medications, even if they do not have high blood. They noted that for every 1,000 people taking the drugs in clinical trials, on average 15 fewer died from heart disease than when the patients got dummy treatment. The study however could not explain the cause for this benefit. The study, which was funded by Tulane University and the National Institutes of Health, was published in the March 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

1 Mar 2011

Think positive for a healthy heart: Study

Researchers suggest that heart disease patients are more likely to survive if they have a positive outlook. The study was published Feb. 28 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

1 Mar 2011