Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Latest Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

NQF endorses 70 measures to improve gathering of clinical electronic data

As an incremental step toward wider use of electronic data platforms to measure, report, and improve quality, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has endorsed 70 measures that combine data from two or more common electronic sources such as administrative claims, pharmacy and laboratory systems, and registries.

5 Jan 2010

Study examines relationship between parental vaccine refusal and risk of varicella infection in children

Children of parents who refuse vaccines are nine times more likely to get chickenpox compared to fully immunized children, according to a new study led by a vaccine research team at Kaiser Permanente Colorado's Institute for Health Research.

5 Jan 2010

GIVI scientists discover anti-HIV molecule that enhances infection, reduces transmission

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) have discovered a new agent that might inhibit the infectivity of HIV. The agent, surfen, impairs the action of a factor in semen that greatly enhances the viral infection.

5 Jan 2010

Headline results from first phase III study of Balaglitazone announced

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. and Rheoscience, a subsidiary of Nordic Bioscience A/S, today announced the headline results from the first phase III study for their investigational agent, Balaglitazone.

4 Jan 2010

DSPA submits lurasidone NDA to the FDA

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc. (DSPA), a U.S. subsidiary of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (DSP), submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lurasidone, an investigational atypical antipsychotic agent for the treatment of schizophrenia. The application, submitted on December 30, 2009, includes data from more than 40 clinical studies involving more than 2,500 lurasidone-treated patients.

4 Jan 2010

Majority of physicians think EMRs can compromise patients' safety

Press Ganey Associates' 2009 Hospital Pulse Report: Physician Perspectives on American Hospitals found physicians' satisfaction with electronic medical records (EMRs) is decreasing. Many physicians actually consider this increasingly common technology to be time-consuming and fear that it may compromise patient safety.

31 Dec 2009

OmSanA: A natural dietary supplement for maintaining blood sugar and cholesterol levels

As the nation prepares to watch the ball drop in Times Square, Americans will reminisce about the past year and make resolutions for 2010—many will be focused on getting and remaining healthy—and just being normal. Yes, that’s right…normal.

31 Dec 2009

Relieve stress: Exercise, meditate, delegate tasks, diet and be happy

It's impossible to know, unless you're Urban Meyer or one of his doctors, what exactly caused the two-time college football championship winner to see-saw decisions about his prestigious professional career and his family life.

30 Dec 2009

Overview of Psoriasis

Psoriasis, a chronic disease that causes red, raised patches of skin, is increasingly seen as a systemic disease with links to arthritis and cardiovascular disease. The December issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource provides an overview of this sometimes embarrassing condition, what's known about it and how it's treated.

30 Dec 2009

ACC files complaint against HHS Secretary in U.S. District Court

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) today announced that it filed a complaint against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in United States District Court.

30 Dec 2009

VIA Pharmaceuticals receives NASDAQ delisting notice

VIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, today announced that on December 29, 2009, it received a written notice from the listing qualifications staff of the NASDAQ Stock Market ("NASDAQ") informing the Company that trading of the Company's common stock would be suspended prior to the open of business on January 4, 2010 and that NASDAQ would initiate procedures to delist the Company's common stock.

29 Dec 2009

Study suggests genetic variations predispose African-Americans to diabetes

For years, scientists have tried to determine the basis for discrepancies between race and the predisposition for development of diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Could factors such as differences in lifestyle or access to health care play a role, or is there something else in play?

29 Dec 2009

Childhood ETS may lead to emphysema

Children regularly exposed to tobacco smoke at home were more likely to develop early emphysema in adulthood. This finding by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health suggests that the lungs may not recover completely from the effects of early-life exposures to tobacco smoke (ETS). The study is published in the December 2009 American Journal of Epidemiology.

29 Dec 2009

Union Bank and AHA announce new sponsorship agreement

Union Bank, N.A., and The American Heart Association (AHA) have announced a four-year agreement to promote the AHA’s Start! movement in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

24 Dec 2009

ABBM grants certification for medical community who treats obesity and related conditions

The American Board of Bariatric Medicine (ABBM) recently administered its certification exam designed to recognize doctors, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants who practice bariatric medicine and the non-surgical medical management of overweight and obese patients.

23 Dec 2009

ARCA biopharma submits Gencaro trial protocol for review under the FDA’s SPA process

ARCA biopharma, Inc. today announced that it has submitted a study protocol for review under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) process for the design of a clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of GencaroTM, in approximately 3,000 patients with chronic heart failure who have the genotype that appears to respond most favorably to Gencaro. Gencaro is the Company’s investigational, pharmacologically unique beta-blocker and mild vasodilator.

23 Dec 2009

US Phase 2 clinical trial of RVX-208 commenced by Resverlogix

Resverlogix Corp. ("Resverlogix" or the "Company") announced today that it has begun dosing patients in its US Phase 2 clinical trial lead by Cleveland Clinic. This trial will examine RVX-208, Resverlogix's oral small molecule therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis, in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

23 Dec 2009

Viron Therapeutics' three drug candidates granted U.S. patents

Viron Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the development of virally-derived protein therapeutics, today announced that it has been granted U.S. patents related to three of its drug candidates, VT-111, VT-346 and VT-384.

23 Dec 2009

Cardiac rehabilitation improves survival rate in heart attack patients

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease who attended more cardiac rehabilitation sessions had fewer heart attacks and were less likely to die within four years than those who went to rehab less, researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

23 Dec 2009

LA BioMed physician-researchers named Super Doctors in the Los Angeles Magazine

Los Angeles Magazine, in its January issue, will name 37 of the physician-researchers at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) to be among Southern California Super Doctors.

22 Dec 2009