Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Bipolar patients oblivious to medication non-adherence risks

European psychiatrists’ survey findings suggest that over half of all patients with bipolar disorder on prescribed medication show compliance issues, with most unable to attribute their deteriorating condition to this behavior.

21 Nov 2012

Electrophysiology: an interview with Dr Kaylene Young

Bioelectricity is an essential part of our make-up. All cells in our body communicate by electrical activity. If an electrical charge is applied to one of our muscles it will interpret that electrical activity as a signal telling it to contract.

21 Nov 2012

Unjustified repeat tests common among Medicare patients

Dartmouth researchers found that up to half of older adults who had a heart, lung, stomach or bladder test had the same procedure repeated within three years despite guidelines against routine testing, leading to unnecessary costs.

21 Nov 2012

Rituximab may help patients with aPL-related clinical problems

Rituximab, a drug used to treat cancer and arthritis, may help patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) who suffer from aPL-related clinical problems that do not respond to anticoagulation, such as cardiac disease and kidney disease, according to a new study by rheumatology researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery. The study appears online ahead of print, in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

21 Nov 2012

UNSW-developed nanoparticle could improve effectiveness of chemotherapy for neuroblastoma

In a world-first, researchers from the Australian Centre for Nanomedicine at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney have developed a nanoparticle that could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for neuroblastoma by a factor of five.

21 Nov 2012

Academic rigor, better data needed for WASH programs

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and community-led total sanitation (CLTS) programs are coming under increased academic scrutiny, Darren Saywell, the WASH/CLTS technical director at Plan International USA and vice-chair to the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) initiative, writes in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, adding, "I personally see this trend as positive.

21 Nov 2012

WHO DG Chan says media allegations of agency receiving food industry funding to fight NCDs 'wrong'

In a statement released on Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said "[s]everal recent media articles are creating misinformation and confusion in the public health arena" by "erroneously suggesting that, in working to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, WHO receives funding from the food and beverage industry," the U.N. News Centre reports.

21 Nov 2012

UMDNJ, Proteonomix commence screening of patients with ESLD for use in UMK-121 clinical trial

PROTEONOMIX, INC., a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives, announced today that the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in conjunction with the Company has commenced the screening of patients with End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) for use in its clinical trial of UMK-121.

21 Nov 2012

HeartWare receives FDA approval for new left ventricular assist device

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), to support heart function and blood flow in patients with end-stage heart failure who are awaiting a heart transplant.

21 Nov 2012

Facts about Homecare

Millions of seniors and people living with disabilities will enjoy Thanksgiving and other holidays in the comfort and safety of their own homes thanks to home medical equipment and services such as oxygen therapy, hospital beds, and wheelchairs.

21 Nov 2012

Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb receive EC approval for ELIQUIS to prevent NVAF-related stroke

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer announced today that the European Commission has approved ELIQUIS (apixaban) for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in adult patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) with one or more risk factors.

21 Nov 2012

New polymer-based system to fight infection, filter water and heal wounds

Working in the lab for the last few years, three generations of University of Akron polymer scientists say their mutual and passionate curiosity about science has led to their discovery of a first-of-its-kind, easily adaptable biocompatible polymer structure able to fight infection, filter water and perform a host of other functions.

20 Nov 2012

New insights into what causes uncontrollable bleeding in hemophilia patients

New insights into what causes uncontrollable bleeding in hemophilia patients are provided in a study published by Cell Press on November 20th in the Biophysical Journal. By revealing that blood clots spread in traveling waves through vessels, the study offers new strategies that could lead to the development of more effective treatments for hemophilia as well as common cardiovascular disorders.

20 Nov 2012

FDA approves HeartWare Ventricular Assist System to treat end-stage heart failure

HeartWare International, Inc., a leading innovator of less invasive, miniaturized circulatory support technologies that are revolutionizing the treatment of advanced heart failure, today announced that it has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure.

20 Nov 2012

Sociologic factors predict time to discharge in lower limb amputees

Sociologic factors such as marital status and living location before hospitalization are key predictors of time to discharge in male veterans after lower extremity amputation, report researchers.

20 Nov 2012

Internet best method to communicate health messages to baby boomers

Communicating health information to the “baby boomer” generation might best be done via the internet, especially once they have hit 50, and then 65 years of age, suggest US researchers.

20 Nov 2012

Developmental key to overactive sympathetic system

Being small for gestational age may be accompanied by an exaggerated sympathetic response to physical exercise, an animal study suggests.

20 Nov 2012

Neurologist care lowers risk for PD-related hospitalizations

Regular care by a neurologist lowers the risk for hospitalization for Parkinson's disease-related complications, US research shows.

20 Nov 2012

Psychiatric disorders reduce patient fecundity, especially in men

Findings published in the Archives of General Psychiatry show that patients with schizophrenia, autism, and anorexia nervosa have significantly fewer children compared with the general population, suggesting these conditions are under strong selection to be removed from the population.

20 Nov 2012

Improved bipolar screening with combined scales

Research findings suggest combining the Mood Disorder Questionnaire and Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale provides better diagnostic screening than using each in isolation.

20 Nov 2012