Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Unlocking cellular trap door may help in finding cures for many diseases

A team of researchers who two years ago announced a "Trojan horse" method of entering a cell without harming it have now found, in effect, the lock to the cellular "trap door."

6 May 2016

Expanding gene panel beyond known breast/ovarian cancer genes does not add any clinical benefit

Running large, multi-gene sequencing panels to assess cancer risk is a growing trend in medicine as the price of the technology declines and more precise approaches to cancer care gain steam. The tests are particularly common among breast and ovarian cancer patients. However, questions remain about the growing list of mutations and their suspected, but unproven association with breast and ovarian cancer risk.

6 May 2016

Study identifies sex differences in statin therapy among coronary artery disease patients

Statins are equally effective at decreasing risk of coronary events in men and women, and yet women are less likely to be prescribed these cholesterol-lowering drugs than men.

6 May 2016

Mixed picture for diabetes mortality trends

A large registry analysis shows that younger people may be missing out on a general decline in mortality rates among patients with diabetes.

6 May 2016

Pulmonary hypertension impacts walking ability in SSc patients

The results of a meta-analysis show the adverse impact pulmonary hypertension has on the walking stamina of patients with systemic sclerosis.

6 May 2016

Drinking tart Montmorency cherry juice can reduce early signs of hypertension

Drinking tart Montmorency cherry juice significantly reduces high blood pressure at a level comparable to that achieved by medication, according to new research from Northumbria University, Newcastle.

6 May 2016

Depressed moms not physiologically 'in sync' with their children

Mothers with a history of depression are not physiologically "in sync" with their kids, according to a new study from Binghamton University. While researchers have known for a while that depression is associated with interpersonal problems with others, this is the first study to examine whether this is also evident physiologically.

6 May 2016

Implantable brain device shows promising results in animal study

An implantable brain device that literally melts away at a pre-determined rate minimizes injury to tissue normally associated with standard electrode implantation, according to research led by a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

6 May 2016

Better understanding of mechanisms linked to human heart valve disease

A cell-to-cell signaling network that serves as a developmental timer could provide a framework for better understanding the mechanisms underlying human heart valve disease, say University of Oregon scientists.

6 May 2016

UA researchers one step closer to preventing asthma in children

Efforts to improve the health of children at increased risk for asthma will receive a major boost with the launch of a new University of Arizona Health Sciences-led, federally funded national clinical study. For Fernando D. Martinez, MD, and his colleagues at the UA Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, this study follows 30 years of research to prevent and cure this chronic disease.

6 May 2016

Medical error is the third biggest cause of death in the US, according to experts

After analyzing medical death rate data over an eight year period, Johns Hopkins researchers found that more than 250,000 people die in the U.S each year as a result of medical error, making it the third biggest cause of death after heart disease and cancer.

5 May 2016

Long-term Warfarin use may increase dementia rates in AF patients

A new study of more than 10,000 patients treated long term with the blood thinner, Warfarin, reveals higher rates of dementia for patients with atrial fibrillation versus non-AF patients

5 May 2016

Robotically assisted PCI could be viable alternative to manual procedure

A first-of-its kind study using robotic technology to remotely control coronary guidewires and stents reported on the feasibility of performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients with complex coronary lesions. Similar clinical outcomes compared to the PCI procedure performed manually were reported.

5 May 2016

Older adults become more sensitive to pain, study shows

When older relatives complain about their pains, show a little empathy, because new research suggests that as we age, we may all become more sensitive to pain. A small, preliminary University of Florida Health study has suggested for the first time that inflammation may occur more quickly and at a higher magnitude -- and stays around longer -- when older adults experience pain versus when younger adults experience pain.

5 May 2016

Caution urged with add-on DPP-4 inhibitors

Physicians should be aware of the need to reduce the dose of sulphonylureas when adding dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor treatment in patients with Type 2 diabetes, say the authors of a meta-analysis.

5 May 2016

Study shows short-term statin treatment does not benefit heart surgery patients

Giving daily doses of statins for a few days before and after heart surgery does not prevent heart muscle damage or the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to an international clinical trial led by the University of Oxford and funded by the British Heart Foundation.

5 May 2016

Enzyme previously thought beneficial could pose threat to developing embryos

A pair of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists have discovered that an enzyme previously thought only to be beneficial could, in fact, pose significant danger to developing embryos. The new research could have implications not only for prenatal development but also for treating lymphedema and liver damage resulting from acetaminophen overdose.

5 May 2016

EPFL neuroscientists find that the brain can filter out cardiac sensations

Our heart is constantly beating yet we normally do not feel it. It turns out that our brain is capable of filtering out the cardiac sensation so that it doesn't interfere with the brain's ability to perceive external sensations. For the first time, researchers from the Center for Neuroprosthetics at EPFL have identified this mechanism. They discovered that a certain region in the brain determines where internal and external sensations interact. Their work appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.

5 May 2016

Older adults experience greater survival rates after lung cancer surgery

Patients aged 65 years and older are living longer after lung cancer surgery, and with older people representing a rapidly growing proportion of patients diagnosed with lung cancer, this improved survival is especially significant, according to an article posted online today by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

5 May 2016

New AVERT system can reduce radiographic dye volume in patients at risk of AKI

In the largest study of its kind, a new device has been found to significantly reduce the volume of radiographic dye without decreasing image quality in patients who are at risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) after undergoing a coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

5 May 2016